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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
Sport
David Byrom

Graham Coughlan calls for consistency from referees after controversial penalty in Bristol Rovers' draw with Portsmouth

Graham Coughlan has called for more consistency from referees after Bristol Rovers' 2-2 draw with Portsmouth.

The Gas scored twice late on to come from 2-0 down to grab a point from the game, but one of the biggest talking points post-match was referee Darren Handley's ninth-minute decision to award a penalty to the visitors.

Handley adjudged that Luke Leahy pushed John Marquis in the box, but Coughlan said his side had three or four similar incidents at the other end that went unpunished.

Bristol Rovers celebrate a late equaliser against Portsmouth (Dougie Allward/JMP)

He said: "I don't think anyone in the ground could see it, I don't even think the Portsmouth players and fans knew what it was for.

"The ironic thing was they were going the other way, they thought it was an offside decision.

"It's an epidemic, it's in the game and it is what it is. As I said to the referee and the linesman, if they're going to give penalties for that then I've no problem with that.

"It hurts the game and destroys the game we all love, but if they're going to give penalties for that, let us lay claim to three or four penalties down to the other end.

"I don't like jumping off the bench and asking for soft penalties, I don't like asking for things like that, it has to be a proper penalty in my eyes, but if he's going to give a decision like that down one end, we want the same treatment at the other end.

"There was three or four occasions where Abs Ogogo was pushed over and we could have claimed a penalty.

"Let me be honest, neither Abs Ogogo or that one was a penalty, but if he's going to give it one end, I want it the other end.

"I just want consistency.

"At the end of the day, it is what it is. He's made the decision, you see it week in, week out, we're not the only football club that gets horrendous decisions made against us.

"Hopefully that's it and it will be someone else next week because that's the way the game is."

The Gas grabbed a point courtesy of Alex Rodman's strike and a last-gasp own goal, and Coughlan said he felt his side could have won it if there was more time left at the end.

He said: "I don't think this group struggles for character, to be honest, that's one of our strong points and strengths.

"Obviously I was disappointed we were 2-0 down but, barring a 10-minute spell in the first half where they could have actually scored, Anssi pulled off a great save, but other than that, they were playing counter-attacking football.

"I thought we were very good and well-worthy of a point.

"If there'd been another few minutes on that clock, you just never know because we were in the ascendancy."

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