Charlton boss Lee Bowyer: Two refereeing decisions cost us during defeat at Luton

BY LOUIS MENDEZ

Lee Bowyer felt two poor refereeing decisions cost his side during the 2-1 loss at Luton Town.

Jonathan Leko had given the Addicks an early lead, but Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu levelled the scores soon after, before Izzy Brown scored a winner early in the second-half.

James Collins appeared to be in Dillon Phillips’ eyeline and an offside position as Mpanzu scored Luton’s first, with Brown using his hand to control the ball in the build-up to the second.

“It’s ridiculous,” said Bowyer, whose side are now winless in six.

“I feel like I’m having the same discussion after every game about decisions and other things. If we’re playing in the Premier League tonight then those goals are disallowed, one-hundred percent. Why is that OK? Why is it allowed to happen in that division but not our division?

“Our division is not as important as the Premier League but we’re still playing to try and get there. Not us personally, but those in this division. If they want to bring VAR in then they should take it down [to the Championship] as well as teams in this division want to get into the Premier League.

“Do I think that we deserved to lose the game? No. What it all boils down to is two decisions that have cost us the game. I’ve seen both goals back and the first one is blatantly offside. He was a yard away from Dillon when the fella shot and ended up falling over Dillon, that’s how close he is. How is he not interfering? The second one was handball. The lad was unlucky to be fair, it bounced up awkwardly. He’s tried to edge it into his path but where it came up, it’s not possible unless you use your arm. I could see that from the side but the decision went their way and to be fair he took the goal well.

“To me, two decisions that should have been disallowed goals. That’s what has cost us tonight.

“When you get blatantly obvious decisions go against you, it’s wrong. It makes is so hard. My players are giving me all that and then we’re coming away with nothing because of decisions, that’s wrong.

“I can’t criticise my players, they’re giving me everything again. Would I like them to do things different at times? Of course. Do they make mistakes, of course they do. But they’re giving everything form this football club and that’s all I ask of them. Tonight, we’ve come away with nothing because of two decisions and that’s what it boils down to for me.

“The performance, from start to finish, the players gave everything. We took a lead, probably against the run of play. But we caused them problems, we created a few chances, and the same second-half.”

PHOTO: KYLE ANDREWS