Richard Tait: Motherwell should comfortably have finished Best of the Rest

Motherwell ace Richard Tait reckons the Steelmen have missed a major trick by failing to finish ‘Best of the Rest’ this season after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at St Johnstone, writes Craig Goldthorp.
Richard Tait battles for possession in Perth on Saturday (Pic by Ian McFadyen)Richard Tait battles for possession in Perth on Saturday (Pic by Ian McFadyen)
Richard Tait battles for possession in Perth on Saturday (Pic by Ian McFadyen)

The popular defender (29) thinks ’Well are comfortably the best team in the bottom half, but defeat in their penultimate Premiership match means they’ll finish eighth.“I think it is massively disappointing,” Tait told the Times and Speaker.“We went into this mini little league of trying to finish in the top seven.“That was our aim. I think it was an achievable aim and we should quite comfortably be finishing seventh.“In my opinion we’re the best team in the bottom six at the minute. But obviously the league table doesn’t show that now and that’s really disappointing.”Although ’Well crashed in Perth, it could have been so different if rookie referee Colin Steven hadn’t turned down an early penalty appeal for handball when Saints’ Scott Tanser blocked Gboly Ariyibi’s shot on the goal line.“From the position I was on the pitch I thought it was a clear handball,” Tait said.“I think the rules state that if it is deliberate then it’s obviously a red card.“Possibly we should have had a penalty and a red card.“I think Motherwell would probably have gone on and won if they had been given.“Big decisions in games change games and big moments change games.“It was one of those ones where we could have got a penalty and a man sent off and you never know what can happen after that.“But it wasn’t to be and we went on in the game and obviously conceded two poor goals and lost.”