Millwall boss Gary Rowett: There was a clear foul for Norwich City’s second goal

Millwall manager Gary Rowett felt there was a clear foul before Josh Sargent’s second goal in tonight’s 2-0 defeat at Norwich City.

The American scored twice in the second half at Carrow Road.

But Rowett had an issue with Sargent’s second, which saw him battling with Danny McNamara and Scott Malone in the build-up – the ball being worked back to the Canaries frontman for him to finish past Bartosz Bialkowski.

“In my opinion there is a clear foul for the second goal,” Rowett told Sky Sports. “Sargent jumps over Danny McNamara, stops him being able to play the ball. I know there is not massive amounts [of contact] and then he almost falls on the back of Scottie Malone.

“You see lots of moments where there is a little bit of contact, like late on with Hanley and he falls to the ground and he gets a free-kick two yards in front of the officials. My argument with that is that Robert said he saw it clearly but Dean, the fourth official, was two yards away. They have to help each other out. That cost us the second goal and it makes the game very, very difficult to chase.

“That’s the frustration – when you have worked so hard all week and travelled all the miles we’ve travelled – you’re just asking to get the right moments. I couldn’t argue that Norwich didn’t deserve to win the game. They were excellent. But that’s where you need the officials to step up and their quality to be good. In that moment, that wasn’t clear enough decision-making for me.”

Asked if he felt his side were still in the game at 1-0 down, and having fought back from trailing 2-0 in their previous two Championship fixtures, Rowett said: “Of course you do.

“At some point occasionally you have to go behind away from home and chase the game in the last minutes. At a place like this you can’t go too gung-ho early on. One-nil is an absolutely crucial scoreline. We can put big Jake Cooper on, we can put our forwards on. You saw how close Vogey comes with a shot late on and there are some moments in there, Benik has a chance. The game is always alive at 1-0.

“People are human, I understand not everyone is going to get the right decisions, but this new rule of we’re allowing contact now – that’s great, but a foul is still a foul whether there is contact or not.

“There was a clear foul in front of the bench and that should’ve been given as a foul. Norwich probably might still go on and win the game 1-0. But it just gives us a really different outlook on the last 10 minutes.”

Millwall now have eight days until they are in action again, at home to Reading. The Lions were in South Wales on Tuesday and stayed overnight to help their preparation for the trip to Norfolk.

“I knew it might take an effect, as the game went on we just started to fatigue a little bit with the ones who started,” said Rowett. “You can’t do a five hour journey to Swansea, then a five-hour journey back, then a four-hour journey to Norwich. The reality is the games Tuesday and Friday have put an extra physical toll.

“Norwich had two home games, the advantage physically is to them. They still moved the ball well and do lots of good things – they are an excellent side under Dean. We need the breather. I can’t actually be critical of my players tonight, they gave everything in a week that was tough. To keep fighting and keep going against two good opponents, I’m actually really proud of the team.

“If we play like that, in large spells, I think we’ll come away with plenty of points.”