lua_patterns_hack.lua

function string:split(sep)
	local sep, fields = sep or ":", {}
	local pattern = string.format("([^%s]+)", sep)
	self:gsub(pattern, function(c) fields[#fields+1] = c end)
	return fields
end

function patterns_hack(to_match, fake_regex, separator)
	local result
	for k, v in next, string.split(fake_regex, separator) do 
		result = result or string.match(to_match, v)
	end
	return result
end

to_match = "hola"
fake_regex = "(hola)|(guap[ao])"
print(patterns_hack(to_match, fake_regex, '|'))