Mark Warburton happy with Rangers' mettle in win at Motherwell

Mark Warburton praised his Rangers team for their recovery after having a man sent off as they went on to beat Motherwell 2-0.

Winger Michael O'Halloran was dismissed just five minutes into the Scottish Premiership contest at Fir Park and that put the visitors on the back foot.

Scott McDonald was later dismissed for the hosts, however, and Rangers went on to secure victory through goals from Kenny Miller and Emerson Hyndman.

The result took the Ibrox side back above Aberdeen into second place in the table, although they have played once more than the Pittodrie outfit.

Warburton said: "I thought for four or five minutes after the sending-off we lost our composure and gave the ball away cheaply.

"But we quickly regained it. We had good passages of play. The midfield three were finding blue shirts and once it evened up I thought we dominated.

"We spoke at half-time about being braver, breaking lines, testing the keeper. In the second half we were very dominant.

"I don't think Wes Foderingham had a save to make while we got the rewards. I thought it was a good victory."

O'Halloran walked after catching Carl McHugh high on his thigh, while McDonald was dismissed for tackling Miller studs first.

Warburton added: "I asked Michael just now and there's no intent, I am sure of that - but if you catch him, you catch him.

"I thought Scott's was a bad one, that was my initial reaction. But I haven't seen it again yet so it wouldn't be right to comment on it.

"My first reaction was a bad tackle but I am never going to call for a player to be sent off. I'd like to see it again."

Opposite number McGhee had an opposing view of the incident but refused to criticise referee Willie Collum.

He said: "The ball gets away from him but he toes it away. His foot's on the ground, it's not a sending-off.

"I don't have any fears over the ref - he made a decision. Seeing it again, it's probably a poor decision, but it's not done to even things up, he thinks it's a sending-off."

The result was Rangers' fourth win of the season over Motherwell and it came a week after two late Miller goals turned things around in the Scottish Cup to give them a 2-1 success.

McGhee added: "I'm not too upset by it, certainly not like last week - we had good spirit, good energy, we passed the ball well at times although we needed to convert the early chances we made.

"I'm optimistic, though, that we've got the strongest squad we've had this season and I think we have a lot to look forward to.

"We were better when we both had 11. With 10 men we never created any real chances."