Referee got 'simulation' call right and Shrewsbury behaved 'cowardly' – Bristol Rovers boss Graham Coughlan

It was another ex-Salop skipper, Abu Ogogo, who fired a dramatic late winner for the visitors in an absorbing seven-goal contest at Montgomery Waters Meadow.

Sam Ricketts' Town trailed 2-0 and then 3-1, pegging Rovers back to 3-3 midway through the second half, but the Pirates had the final say.

But Irishman Coughlan was left unhappy with a flashpoint 17 minutes in with his side 1-0 up, as referee Graham Salisbury waved away a Shrewsbury penalty appeal after Norwich loanee Thompson went down under pressure from visiting defender Alfie Kilgour.

"I wanted to go on the pitch, one of their players lifted his hands," Coughlan said of the incident after Thompson's appeal was waved away, where five players were shown yellow cards.

"The referee, whether he chose to dismiss it or didn't see it, I wanted to go on the pitch.

"I don't like cowardly acts."

On the decision not to award Town their first penalty of the season, Coughlan, who played for Town between 2008 and 2010, added: "I thought the referee called it spot on, to be honest with you.

"It was simulation, the referee is an experienced lad, he's not going to fall for things like that."

Town boss Ricketts thought his side were denied a clear penalty as Thompson, after a storming run down the right flank, was ran into from behind by Kilgour.

After Town's rousing comeback it was Ogogo who made the difference at the death, although the midfielder decided not to celebrate in front of more than 800 away fans.

Coughlan added: "It was a nice touch that he chose not to celebrate as he played here, so we won with dignity."