Stuart McCall was disappointed to lose to Rangers but conceded the better team won on the day.
Hopes were high pre-match that Motherwell could end their almost nine-year wait for a victory over the Ibrox side but goals from Naismith, Lafferty and Wilde continued the unwanted run.
McCall admitted his side were second best, “We were up against a good side today; when you play either of the Old Firm it is important to get the first goal and then you have a chance to win the game.
“To lose a goal from a set-piece is disappointing with a corner and Jelavic losing his marker.
“We huffed and puffed and had a goal disallowed, probably rightly so, and the second goal came from a corner to us, this was similar to last season as the majority of the goals we lost to Rangers were on the break.
“Second half we had a lot of possession without really threatening McGregor enough, and they were always dangerous on the counter attack. Before the game, what with the way we had defended, we thought we wouldn’t have a better chance than that, but they still had players on the park like Jelavic, Davis, Lafferty and Naismith; they still have good quality players in the team.”
Rangers had several top-team stars missing through injury and ineligibility with as many as thirteen players unavailable.
McCall admitted that he had hoped to capitalise on their inexperienced but conceded the visitors were always going to be strong in attack.
He said: “We knew they maybe weren’t that experienced at the back but they still carried the same threat up front and are very good on the counter attack, and when you are at home you have to have go.
“We didn’t move the ball quickly enough and I am really disappointed we didn’t threaten them more. It all goes down to the second goal at the end of the first half, and I don’t think we deserved to be two down at half time.
“At half time we were still in it if we got the second goal, but we got a lot of ball round the 18 yard box and never created enough.”
Motherwell have the perfect opportunity to bounce back with a game this Wednesday night against Clyde in the Scottish Communities League Cup.
The former Scotland International midfielder reckons his side can get back to winning ways and choose to focus on winning games against teams who ‘Well will compete against for the top-six.
“Nobody like losing, we though today we could take out form into it,” he said.
“We were under no illusions before the game what we were up against, but we won’t be judged on the games with the Old Firm, we will be judged in the games against Dunfermline next week, and St Mirren last week.
“It’s a sore one! I am really disappointed with the way things went and (as I said) you’ve really got to score first to have a chance.”