Erwin Hits Out At Mohsni Behaviour

Photo by Jeff Holmes

Motherwell striker Lee Erwin labelled Rangers defender Bilel Mohsni an embarrassment to the Ibrox club after their incredible Fir Park melee.

The Well playmaker reacted angrily when Mohsni snubbed his offer of a handshake seconds after the Lanarkshire club sealed a 6-1 aggregate win in their Scottish Premiership play-off final.

But after pushing the Tunisian, Erwin was subjected to a flurry of kicks and punches as Mohsni heaped shame on his club.

Both players were later sent off by referee Craig Thomson alongside unused Motherwell substitute Fraser Kerr, but it was a disgraceful end to Rangers' promotion bid.

And Erwin rubbed salt into Light Blue wounds as he mocked Mohsni and the rest of his team-mates during a live TV interview.

The 21-year-old said: "I grew up supporting Rangers as a young boy ... but Rangers can wait their turn.

"I tried to shake Mohsni's hand and wish him all the best and he told me to 'eff off'. I pushed him and he reacted badly. A player at a club like that, at that level, should not be acting like that. It's embarrassing for him and the club. I wish him all the best.

"We battered them, battered them. We were a class above them."

Motherwell were expected to struggle against a battle-hardened Gers side who had fought their way past Queen of the South and Hibernian to reach the final.

They produced a pair of stunning displays to win home and away against Stuart McCall's side, however, as they they kept their three-decade long run in Scotland's top division safe.

But boss Ian Baraclough admitted he is disappointed to see his team's displays put in the shade by the post-match madness.

He said: "Everyone connected with us made sure these two games where the biggest of our lives.

"We executed our plan perfectly, took our chances and made sure we are in the top division.

"Hopefully the stuff at the end won't overshadow the win because it was 10 seconds of madness that has no place in this sport whatsoever.

"The two teams went at it hammer and tongs, there were chances in both ends in both games.

"It was a pulsating game to watch for any neutral but if the back pages are full of two or three people brawling then that's the wrong message to send out for Scottish football."

Baraclough was the man Well turned to after McCall resigned as Fir Park boss in November, with his side second bottom of the table.

The former Sligo Rovers manager brought in seven players in January but while he could not save them from the play-offs, recruits like Marvin Johnson, Scott McDonald and Stephen Pearson were vital to their winning display against Rangers.

Now Baraclough has promised more changes next season.

He said: "We've got some important meetings over the next couple of days and invariably players will be moving on.

"I'd like to bring one or two players in. I can't give you numbers at this moment in time or names, but there needs to be a freshening up.

"Although I'm delighted we're still in the top division you have to freshen things up to make sure this doesn't happen again next season, to make sure we are fighting at the right end."