Luke Thomas offers verdict on disallowed third goal in Bristol Rovers’ victory at Newport County

Luke Thomas offers verdict on disallowed third goal in Bristol Rovers’ victory at Newport County.

In Bristol Rovers’ 3-2 victory over Newport County, Luke Thomas scored twice and had another goal disallowed.

The winger saw a goal disallowed between his two legal goals in Saturday afternoon’s 3-2 victory over Newport County, and Luke Thomas feels he should have had a hat-trick.

Following an unremarkable first half, Fabrizio Cavegn struck the post and then forced a save, and Thomas saw the ball over the line to break the tie early in the second half. It was his first of the season.

The Rovers attacker stopped Newport custodian Nik Tzanev’s kick seconds after the restart, causing the ball to divert in the direction of the goal. After a sprint race with the ‘keeper, Thomas bundled the ball into the net, but the whistle had already blown.

Although it looked like the referee had blown for a foul, the officials’ comments showed that it was actually issued for handball, which he didn’t agree with. A few minutes later, the 26-year-old finished for 2-0 after intercepting a pass from Tzanev. After the game, Thomas responded to a question about whether he could have had a hat-trick by saying, “Yeah, I think it should have been,” to Sky Sports. “They claim that it’s handball, but I believe the goal was disallowed—it may have been. Handball is never used. Although they said it was handball, I feel like I may have shoved the ‘keeper.

“To be fair, I was too busy celebrating to hear the whistle blow because it was so loud. I knew right away that it wasn’t a goal and that, in retrospect, it was most likely a foul.

Substitute Ellis Harrison added a third for the Gas, heading in a delightful cross from debutant Alfie Chang, whom Harrison played with at Walsall last season.

Darrell Clarke’s team had a nerve-wracking ending, though, as the Pirates eventually held on after late goals from Kai Whitmore and Nathan Opoku gave the home team hope. “Obviously delighted,” said Thomas. “I think we made hard work of it in the end but three points is three points however we got it so we’re pleased with that.”

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