Motherwell boss Mark McGhee 'embarrassed' by fracas

Mark McGhee accepted he was wrong to have clashed with Hamilton kit man Danny Cunning nine minutes from time at New Douglas Park.

The pair had to be separated by the fourth official and stewards, after arguing over the awarding of an 81st-minute penalty for Motherwell when Chris Cadden was fouled by 'keeper Michael McGovern.

McGovern saved Louis Moult's spot-kick but Motherwell held on to claim three points in a 1-0 victory and McGhee said: "I'm a bit embarrassed by that now.

"Someone on their bench claimed it was a dive and I simply said, 'It wasn't a dive, he caught him', and then it kind of all kicked off from there.

"I was glad he didn't get to me because he looked quite angry."

McGhee accepted that Cunning was just being passionate about the game: "I think it was just blind rage.

"They all want their team to win. I'm not knocking him for it. Obviously the penalty was delayed and maybe that contributed to Louis missing it.

"I could have done with him scoring it because, with our recent history in the last minutes of games, it would have been nice to have been 2-0.

"We coped with it, but we had to work hard and be vigilant. But we managed to get through it and that was a nice change."

Hamilton have now gone 11 home games without a victory, since Dougie Imrie hit the winner against Motherwell on September 19.

Manager Martin Canning added: "If we were getting dominated and battered from pillar to post I would say we were doing something wrong, but there's not a lot in the game. We created the best opportunities and should win the game.

"But if you don't put the ball in the back of the net it's going to cost you."