The 30-year-old defender successfully came through 57 minutes in his first competitive match since December 2023 when he suffered a cardiac arrest(Image: PA)

Tom Lockyer’s return to football did little to inspire 10-man Bristol Rovers today (October 25) as they suffered a devastating 4-0 blow against Crawley – their fourth consecutive league defeat.

Lockyer, 30, started the game and successfully came through 57 minutes in his first competitive match since December 2023 when he suffered a cardiac arrest during Luton’s Premier League game against Bournemouth.

A first half own goal from Alfie Kilgour and second half strikes by Harry Forster, Scott Malone and Louis Flower gave Crawley their first win in six league outings.

After a cagey opening, the game came to life after 34 minutes when Rovers defender Jack Sparkes received a straight red card for handling a corner from Kyle Scott.

Striker Ryan Loft stepped up to take the penalty but his spot kick cannoned off keeper Luke Southwood’s right-hand post.

Rovers striker Shaqai Forde had a shot come back off the underside of the bar before Crawley broke the deadlock when defender Kilgour deflected a shot from Malone into his own net deep into first half added time.

The Red Devils doubled their advantage seven minutes after the break through substitute Forster who netted easily at the far post from Malone’s cross, and Malone made it 3-0 after 70 minutes with a close-range shot.

Substitute Flower sealed victory by firing home four minutes from time.

Tom Lockyer left Luton last month but he has since been training with Rovers – and on Thursday signed a deal until the end of the season at the club where he made over 280 appearances between 2013 and 2019.

“It feels really, really good to once again be a Bristol Rovers player,” Lockyer said.

“Obviously I’ve been training here for a while and I’ve tried not to think too much about it or get too excited about the ifs, buts and maybes.

“But as soon as I knew that Darrell (Clarke, manager) wanted to get something done, it was easy for me to then make a decision about coming back home.

“It is so hard to explain but it’s everything I’ve worked so hard for over the last two years. Hopefully I can have many, many more good memories in a football shirt.

“I’m going to celebrate the little wins back on a football pitch and I just want to enjoy it. I wouldn’t be doing this otherwise.

“I’m doing this because I love playing football and I’ve got that massive desire to play football again, and what better place to do that than back home at Bristol Rovers.”

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