Danny Cowley doesn’t understand lack of goal-line technology in League One

Posted Sunday, September 18, 2022 by PA

Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley called for goal-line technology in League One after his second-placed side played out an incident-packed 2-2 draw with Plymouth.

Reeco Hackett came off the bench to score a stoppage-time equaliser and preserve Pompey’s unbeaten start to the season.

But Cowley was convinced his side were denied a legitimate first-half goal when referee James Bell decided Sean Raggett’s acrobatic attempt had not crossed the line.

Cowley said: “It is about two yards over the line!

“I think to help the officials we should have goal-line technology. It is the 21st century and we are a professional football club playing in front of 20,000 people. I don’t understand why we don’t have it.

“The ref’s watch would definitely have been vibrating if we had it.”

Huddersfield loanee Josh Koroma rifled the hosts in front four minutes before half-time with an unstoppable right-foot shot into the top corner.

Pompey defended their lead comfortably until the 74th minute when Raggett turned Mali Bumba’s cross into his own net with a spectacular diving header.

Niall Ennis looked to have won the game five minutes later by calmly slotting past Josh Griffiths from Morgan Whittaker’s clever through ball.

But, seconds after Brendan Galloway was given a second booking, Hackett had the last word by heading in fellow sub Joe Morrell’s cross.

Cowley added: “We had a lot of good moments but were just not ruthless enough against a really good Plymouth team.

“They are as good as we have played against this year and will be right up there.

“Goals change games and the first goal they scored was really poor from us and it turned the game on its head.

“The players on the pitch and the fans did what Portsmouth do best, we dug in collectively and found a way to get the point.

“I am pleased for Reeco because it was a really good header and he has had a good impact off the bench.”

Plymouth boss Steven Schumacher said: “It was a good game with loads to talk about and loads of incidents, action-packed.

“I am sure the fans enjoyed it, but we are gutted not to come away with the points after conceding late again. It feels like de-ja-vu.

“It is another point in the right direction at a difficult place to come. It does not feel like a defeat because we had to dig deep to come from behind.

“Our lads had to show resilience and a bit of quality to get back into the game and in the second half we were loads better.

“We scored a great goal to get in front from a lovely team move and probably our best goal of the season. There are loads of positives to take away.”