Bradford City manager Mark Hughes blames Newport County pitch for Harry Lewis handball escape

Mark Hughes was happy to escape south Wales with a point and no major damage done to their League Two play-off prospects.
By YP Sport
Published 12th Mar 2023, 12:31 BST
Updated 12th Mar 2023, 13:17 BST

Hughes was content with the point after snow disrupted his side’s preparations for their trip to Newport.

Andy Cook put them 1-0 up on 36 minutes before an own goal from Bradford defender Liam Ridehalgh – just after the hour mark – earned the hosts a point.

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Former Wales manager Hughes said: “We couldn’t train on Friday, which wasn’t the ideal preparation. So, we have to be grateful for the point, I suppose.

Controversy surrounding Harry Lewis of Bradford City and a handball outside of the area at Newport County (Picture: George Wood/Getty Images)Controversy surrounding Harry Lewis of Bradford City and a handball outside of the area at Newport County (Picture: George Wood/Getty Images)
Controversy surrounding Harry Lewis of Bradford City and a handball outside of the area at Newport County (Picture: George Wood/Getty Images)

“I thought we were very much the better team in the first half.

“Second half, they upped their game a little bit, but the goal was a speculative ball into the box, they were hoping for a bit of luck and that’s exactly what they got.”

Newport manager Graham Coughlan bemoaned his side’s luck after Bradford goalkeeper Harry Lewis escaped with a yellow card for handling outside his area before Cook’s opener.

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“How the referee came to that conclusion…I’d rather not spent time talking about crazy decisions,” said Coughlan on Lewis’s caution midway through the first half.

“I do have a degree of sympathy for the goalie, it was an honest error, but if our players made an honest error then they would be punished.

“The law is pretty simple and basic. Why the laws of the game were not applied, I will never know."

Hughes explained that his goalkeeper was confused by the painted-over 22-yard line for rugby union side the Dragons, who also play at Rodney Parade.

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“I think the rain washed away the paint,” said Hughes. “I think the referee displayed common sense there. It wasn’t intentional – he genuinely thought he was in the penalty area.”

Newport County: Day, Baker, Farquharson, Demetriou, Norman, Charsley (Wildig 83), Bennett, Moriah-Welsh (Waite 83), Lewis, Bogle, McNeill (Evans 86). Unused substitutes: Bowen, Clarke, Townsend, Rai.

Bradford City: Lewis, Halliday, Platt, Stubbs, Ridehalgh, Gilliead (Banks 73), Clayton, Smallwood (East 82),Walker, Costelloe (Chapman 82), Cook. Unused substitutes: Bola, Doyle, Crichlow-Noble, Kelly.

Referee: Sam Allison (Somerset).

Related topics:League TwoWalesGraham CoughlanAndy Cook