Ainsworth: Mohsni should take ban on the chin

Motherwell winger Lionel Ainsworth has told Bilel Mohsni to take his seven-game ban on the chin.

The former Rangers defender has hit out at his punishment for kicking and punching Lee Erwin at Fir Park after his side's 6-1 aggregate defeat in the top-flight play-offs.

Ainsworth, along with team-mate Craig Moore, accepted a two-match suspension for pushing the centre-back following his attack on Leeds-bound Erwin and he feels the Tunisian could have been given a bigger punishment.

Ainsworth, who signed a new two-year contract on Wednesday, said: "I feel mistreated by getting a two-game ban for a little push but you have to take it on the chin and move on from it.

"You can't react like that regardless of what anyone says or does. It's unfortunate for him but he's the one that reacted like that. As my missus says to me quite a lot, you choose how you react.

"He's got to look at himself and take it on the chin.

"It possibly could have been longer, being on the TV and trying to confront him (Erwin) off the bus.

"They were ridiculous scenes. You don't want to see that in football and hopefully we won't see that again.''

Despite missing the first two games, Ainsworth is excited about the new campaign following the stunning end to last season.

The 27-year-old scored in both legs to take his Motherwell tally to 20 goals and 20 assists in two seasons, and his aim is to keep his form going.

"I have got the club etched on my heart now,'' he said.

"I have really enjoyed my time here, the fans, the staff, everything about the club has been brilliant and I want to be part of that.''

Manager Ian Baraclough is also trying to re-sign Scott McDonald and has not given up hope of bringing loan players George Long and Louis Laing back to Fir Park, but he is in no rush to make signings for the sake of it despite returning to pre-season training.

"We are perhaps looking at another five or six,'' he said of his transfer ambitions.

"We will wait for the right ones. There's no desperation to bring someone in. We have just over five weeks until we play Inverness. You will see players drip-fed in and they will be good additions.''

Baraclough, who has brought in left-back Joe Chalmers from Celtic so far added: "Scott's one we have been talking to. Scott will have options elsewhere, everything has got to fit within the budget but Scott is one I have kept in touch with.

"If it happens, it happens. If not then there's other targets that we work towards.''