Motherwell captain Peter Hartley says it was 'fun to watch' Rangers defender 'weeping' after nose-break challenge

Motherwell's Peter Hartley (SNS Group / Gary Hutchison)

MOTHERWELL captain Peter Hartley claims it was fun to watch Fabio Cardoso “weeping” after the then Rangers defender suffered a broken nose in the Steelmen’s Hampden win last season.

And the defender promised Motherwell will not show much respect to Rangers when the teams meet again on Sunday.

Cardoso, who returned to Portugal in the summer, was injured during an aerial challenge when Ryan Bowman’s arm caught him in the face during Motherwell’s Betfred Cup semi-final triumph.

Bowman is out of Sunday’s Ladbrokes Premiership clash at Fir Park with an ankle injury but Hartley kept tensions simmering ahead of Rangers’ visit.

After being reminded that some of last season’s meetings were “tasty affairs” and asked whether he expected something similar, the former Hartlepool and Plymouth player said: “They were, at Fir Park definitely and obviously at Hampden as well. I think Bowie broke a boy’s nose didn’t he, so that was fun to watch, the way he was weeping.

Rangers’ Fabio Cardoso (L) is challenged by Motherwell’s Ryan Bowman (SNS Group / Rob Casey)

“But they have all been entertaining, and the games have been close as well. Neither team has ever been out of sight.

“We were 2-0 up here and ended up taking a point which we very disappointed with. We got beat 2-0 away, we got beat 2-1 at the beginning of the season and obviously we beat them at Hampden to go to the final.

“All games have been close and competitive against Rangers and we fully believe we can get a job done and beat them.

“I know Rangers are one of the bigger teams in this division but we’re not going to sit and try to take a point at home, we are going to go out with the mentality of taking all three points.”

Rangers have shown major signs of improvement under Steven Gerrard and Hartley is keen that Motherwell play their own game.

“We will show them respect with regards to how they play on the training pitch, but when we cross the white line on Sunday there won’t be much respect shown to be honest,” the 30-year-old said.

“A key challenge for us is being brave and playing with courage. If we show them too much respect and let them play their game on Sunday and us not play ours, then it’s going to be a different game and they could probably run away with it. We don’t intend to do that.”