Bara hopes 'Well can stun Gers twice again

Ex-gaffer Baraclough (46) led underdogs ’Well to a sensational 3-1 win at Ibrox against the Gers in a Scottish Premiership relegation/promotion play-off on May 27, 2015.

And the Leicester-born supremo repeated the trick just four days later when the Steelmen thumped the Light Blues 3-0 to secure an emphatic 6-1 aggregate success and retain their Scottish Premiership status.

Baraclough was speaking ahead of Motherwell’s fourth round William Hill Scottish Cup tie against Rangers at Ibrox this Saturday, seven days before the teams square off again at Fir Park in the Scottish Premiership.

Baraclough said: “Before the Rangers play-off games there was a lot of hype that Motherwell were going to be relegated.

“Everyone expected Rangers to roll us over as we were playing a massive club.

“But I tried to turn it around psychologically by saying that Rangers were in the division below and trying to reach the Premiership, the league we were already in.

“We knew we had players who wouldn’t shirk responsibility and it was about trying to get them to believe that they were better man for man than Rangers.

“Our experienced guys, Scott McDonald, Stephen Pearson and Stephen McManus were all key men.

“We played on the counter attack at Ibrox and Rangers couldn’t handle us.

“We used Lionel Ainsworth and Marvin Johnson’s pace and Lee Erwin’s strength in behind was also key.

“The boys worked the game plan superbly. We picked them off and scored fantastic goals. And we could have scored more.

“It wasn’t beyond the realms of possibility that we could have scored four or five.

“That night at Ibrox was the best atmosphere I’ve ever experienced and we were applauded off by the Rangers fans at the end.”

Two goals up from the first leg, Motherwell survived a nervy first half in the second leg at Fir Park before eventually prevailing 3-0 in a fiery contest which saw punches thrown by players after the final whistle.