McCall Rues O'Brien Red

Photo by Jeff Holmes Motherwell manager Stuart McCall admits he is starting to believe his side are cursed in the cups after a controversial red card for Mark O'Brien hindered them in their 6-5 penalties defeat to Hamilton. Motherwell took control of a goalless League Cup tie after a slow start at New Douglas Park - the stage for their shock defeat by Albion Rovers last season - when Stephen Hendrie was sent off for Hamilton. But Michael McGovern produced a stunning save from Iain Vigurs and both Josh Law and Lionel Ainsworth hit the frame of the goal within seconds when Motherwell had a great chance to win it. O'Brien was booked during half-time for a challenge on Eamonn Brophy seconds before the interval, despite the fact Craig Charleston did not give a free-kick, and then sent off 10 minutes into injury-time for what the referee decreed was a body check. The game went to penalties and teenager Craig Watson scored the crucial spot-kick after McGovern had saved from Simon Ramsden. Speaking about O'Brien's first booking, McCall said: "I've never seen that in my entire life. O'Brien makes a tackle and the referee blows for half-time. "We all came off the park and go in the dressing room, and the fourth official comes and says he wants to have a word with Mark O'Brien, after being harangued coming off the park. And then he calls him in and books him. "Why didn't he book him on the park? And I thought here we go, this is going to be typical. And the second yellow, he body-strengths him off the ball. "The second yellow card is an absolute joke. It's barely a foul and if that's a yellow card I'm Dutch. You always think referees look to even things up and that decision swung the balance of the game. "But for an unbelievable save from Vigurs, we would have gone through." When asked if he was starting to think his side were cursed in the cup after winning just four out of 20 ties, he said: "When we hit the bar and post, I genuinely thought that myself, it's not going to be our night." Hamilton manager Alex Neil was full of praise for 18-year-old Watson and the rest of his youthful team. Neil said: "I said to them 'whatever happens here in the penalty shoot-out, you can't let me down because you have worked your socks off for me'. "Craig being the bold lad that he is stuck his hand up. I told him not to worry about it if he missed because he had done great. "I said he was going to score the winner and he went up and stuck it away."