Motherwell dumped out of cup by Morton amid fan unrestMotherwell fans clashed with stewards and police as their team crashed out of the League Cup at the hands of Morton at Cappielow.Alex Samuel's double propelled Ladbrokes Championship side Morton to a 3-2 victory and a quarter-final place.Motherwell substitute Scott McDonald had forced extra time with an equaliser almost three minutes into stoppage-time but it was a scarcely-deserved reprieve which proved temporary.Samuel swept Morton back in front nine minutes into extra time just before play was halted for more than five minutes as police reinforcements sprinted into the visiting end as a struggle between stewards and fans got out of hand.Michael Tidser finished the visitors off after play restarted, although Louis Moult gave Motherwell late hope.Motherwell now face a huge game at home to Premiership bottom club Partick on Saturday but many of their fans called for manager Ian Baraclough to go in the wake of their latest cup disappointment.Baraclough made some surprising team selections, dropping skipper Keith Lasley and top goalscorer Moult and playing an unfamiliar five-man midfield.And there was another shock in store for the visiting fans when defender Stephen McManus failed to deal with a simple pass forwardThe ball ricocheted off his heel and into the path of Samuel, who fired into the roof of the net from 14 yards.Marvin Johnson got Well's first shot on but Derek Gaston comfortably saved and visiting left-back Joe Chalmers was then just wide after a corner routine.But it was Morton who looked more likely to find another goal.Thomas O'Ware headed over and Peter MacDonald forced a decent save from Connor Ripley before stabbing Romario Sabajo's cross wide.The only surprise about Baraclough's double substitution was that it took 11 minutes of the second half to make as McDonald and Moult came on for Dom Thomas and ineffectual lone striker Theo Robinson.The changes were almost made redundant as MacDonald smacked a shot off Ripley's post after a free-kick 25 yards out and Forbes almost scored from a similar source but his weak shot deflected just wide.The away fans cheered Baraclough's next change as Lionel Ainsworth replaced Jake Taylor with 10 minutes left.The visitors belatedly stretched the home defence but Ainsworth looked to have had their best late effort which zipped just wide and Ripley saved well from Tidser.But Ainsworth and McDonald rescued their team with almost the last kick of stoppage-time when the Australian swept home a cross after the winger had got to the byeline.Morton were soon back in front, though, when Samuel converted Denny Johnstone's low cross and Tidser scored in the second period with the outside of his boot after good work from Bobby Barr.Moult gave Motherwell a lifeline with four minutes left after Jack Leitch's shot was blocked on the line but there were no further scares for the hosts
Source : PA
Source: PA