Premier League new boy East in charge of QPR cup tie
Tuesday, 25th Sep 2012 23:08 by Clive Whittingham

Roger East, a new official on the elite list this season, takes the all Premiership cup clash between QPR and Reading at Loftus Road on Wednesday evening.

Referee >>> Roger East (Wiltshire) promoted to the Premier League list this year, first QPR appointment since 1-0 victory against Leicester during Championship promotion season.

Assistants >>> Stuart Burt (Northants) and Charles Breakspear ( Surrey )

Fourth Official >>> Fred Graham ( Essex )

Previously

QPR 1 Leicester 0, Sunday March 6, 2011, Championship

Leicester’s first attack of note came with the time fresh into double figures – Yakubu went to ground in the area rather more easily than a man of his size really should have done but the contact from Fitz Hall was sufficient to warrant more significant appeals than Leicester offered and referee Roger East was happy to let play go on when he could easily have pointed to the spot. This referee turned down a more blatant penalty appeal from Doncaster early on in his last visit to Loftus Road back in September – the R’s would certainly have taken the 3-0 scoreline they went on to achieve that day had it been offered to them at this stage.

This served as something of a wake up call for the home team and they finally started to string together a few bits and pieces and get their key men into the game. On 19 minutes Buzsaky and Faurlin combined in eye catching style around the edge of the area but the Hungarian fired very high and very wide indeed from 20 yards out. Two minutes later Bamba, clearly full of confidence and playing the game in an all action domineering style not dissimilar to that we associate with our own Danny Shittu at the height of his game, was penalised for a foul on Taarabt on the touchline when he appeared to get a good foot on the ball. Taarabt took it himself and found Hall in the area and although his header appeared to be deflected over a goal kick was awarded – the first in what would turn out to be a long, long list of basic, but nonetheless important in their own right, decisions that Mr East got obviously wrong on the day.

Refereeing error two of several on the day came on the half hour. Clint Hill betrayed his age with a heavy touch on halfway, and then executed a wild lunge attempting to retrieve the situation. This was a fool’s mission from the very beginning and it sent Oakley flying through the air in dramatic fashion. This was certainly a yellow card, and the Leicester players appealed with some justification that it should have been even more than that. Certainly Hill couldn’t have had too many complaints had he found himself splashing around in some early bath water and yet Mr East elected to have a quiet word with the player. I’ve said before I don’t come to games to see players booked and sent off but short of shooting the Leicester player in the back of the head I’m not sure what more Hill could have done here to deserve stricter punishment.

In between those two gilt edged chances we’d had a ludicrous booking for Heidar Helguson who was accused of fouling Wellens when he’d clearly and obviously taken the ball. The teams had also had a near miss each – QPR’s came when Faurlin recognised the potential in a seemingly aimless long ball from Shittu and kept it in tight to the corner flag before setting up Taarabt and his dragged cross shot narrowly eluded Helguson at the back post. Leicester responded with an Andy King header against the cross bar after Yakubu crossed. Kenny didn’t get anywhere near it but a corner was given anyway – our referee based very few of his decisions on actual facts – and although Rangers were initially able to clear the ball was returned with interest by Yuke Abe but his shot flew over the bar. Like many Japanese players who come to the European game Abe was technically proficient, but physically lacking in this match.

Initially QPR should have been awarded a foul as the ball dropped from a Clint Hill throw deep in his own half. Wayne Routledge was clearly tripped but East showed no interest and play went on. Routledge got to his feet, regathered possession, turned and then knocked a ball in behind the Leicester defence with the outside of his right foot. For the first time in the game Bamba suddenly found himself against a player in Hoops with more pace and power than he possesses. Miller sprung the offside trap, accelerated away from Bruma and Bamba, held off the latter and was able to stay within striking distance of the ball despite a heavy first touch on the edge of the area. And then… well, to describe it simply and dissect it scientifically he slid the ball calmly under Ricardo and into the back of the net with the outside of his right foot, losing his shorts in the process. To describe what it felt like, what it sounded like and what it meant is difficult in mere words. A similar goal scored on this ground by Paul Furlong in a play off semi final sprung to mind. A magical moment in a magical season. A gift wrapped twenty fourth birthday present for the loaned West Brom striker.

In a half of four substitutions (two of them made at the same time), one goal and no injuries Mr East added four minutes for reasons known only to himself, and then awarded Leicester another one of those corners that the rules of the game suggest should probably have been a goal kick, but it was to no avail, City’s chance had gone. Ultimately the referee played almost five extra minutes (perhaps he was enjoying himself) before bringing to an end a titanic contest that QPR barely did enough to win and Leicester will wonder how they lost. Results from elsewhere, on a day when QPR had the hardest fixture and everybody else was expected to win, appeared on the scoreboard to the audible delight of the home fans. The Rangers players down on the pitch surveyed them with smiles. When Swansea are losing at Scunthorpe you know it’s your day.

QPR: Kenny 8, Orr, 7 Shittu 8, Hall 6 (Connolly 31, 5), Hill 7, Derry 7, Faurlin 7, Routledge 6, Taarabt 6 (Miller 86, -), Buzsaky 6 (Ephraim 90, -), Helguson 6

Subs Not Used: Cerny, Hulse, Smith, Moen

Booked: Helguson (foul)

Goals: Miller 88 (assisted Routledge)

Leicester: Ricardo 7, Naughton 7, Bruma 8, Bamba 8, Mee 8, Oakley 6, Wellens 6, King 6 (Gallagher 79, 6), Abe 6, Vassell 6 (Waghorn 65, 7), Yakubu 7 (Dyer 86, -)

Subs Not Used: Weale, Miguel Vitor, Teixeira, Berner

Booked: Bamba (foul)

Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire) 5 Infuriating at times, and a man who seemed to have no real feel for the game. He got several simple decisions wrong, awarding goal kicks for corners and vice versa – one or two are forgivable, three is maybe unlucky but when you start talking about a fourth or fifth one wrong then I’m afraid marks have to come off. Clint Hill could have been sent off for a foul in the first half that he wasn’t even booked for, then Helguson got booked for a tackle that, while robust, won the ball. Leicester had a good shout for a penalty in the first half too, although it was more than 20 minutes before QPR got a free kick of any sort so there was no bias involved. Basic bog standard Championship official really.

QPR 3 Doncaster 0, Saturday September 25, 2010

Doncaster responded by winning the first corner of the game which was quickly followed up with another – although Paddy Kenny tried hard to keep the ball in and the linesman who gave the decision from the opposite side of the field was well behind the play when he made the decision. From this set piece the ball was again allowed to drop in the area and Doncaster defender James O’Connor appeared to be tripped after he toed the ball back out to the corner taker. To me it looked like a nailed on penalty kick and QPR were fortunate it wasn’t given by referee Roger East.

Despite the upheaval of Derry’s departure QPR doubled their ten minutes from time with QPR’s sixth penalty of the season already – although not for the first time had the referee allowed play to go on a goal would have resulted anyway. Heidar Helguson burst into the area chasing a perfect through ball from Adel Taarabt, toed the ball past Neil Sullivan as he raced from the goal line, and then hit the deck under heavy contact from the keeper. It was a clear and obvious penalty but had play been allowed to carry on for three seconds Helguson bounced back up and stuck the ball into the empty net anyway. Exactly the same thing happened at Ipswich last week when Akos Buzsaky had a glorious long range strike ruled out and a penalty awarded instead, and against Barnsley on the first day of the season when Taarabt lashed home after a penalty had been given. There was an incident in the first half of this game as well where East blew up too early, hauling QPR back for a free kick in their own half when an advantage would have seen the R’s away with a heavily weighted counter attack. Referees just need to hold the whistle for a second or two, they can always come back and give the decision four or five seconds later. Having given the penalty Sullivan should surely have been sent off, as it was a clear goal scoring opportunity.

Anyway Adel Taarabt stepped up to take the penalty – I genuinely have no idea how him and Helguson are working out who takes what spot kick at the moment – and he calmly sent Sullivan the wrong way and slammed in the game sealing second goal from 12 yards out.

QPR: Kenny 8, Walker 8, Connolly 7, Gorkss 8, Hill 8, Derry 8 (Leigertwood 76, 7), Buzsaky 7, Taarabt 6, Ephraim 6, Mackie 6 (Smith 89, -), Helguson 8 (Agyemang 87)

Subs Not Used: Cerny, Rowlands, Borrowdale, Parker

Goals: Gorkss 53 (assisted Buzsaky), 88 (assisted Taarabt), Taarabt 81 (penalty won by Helguson)

Doncaster: Sullivan 6, Dumbuya 8, O'Connor 7, Martis 6, Friend 6, Coppinger 7, Gillett 7 (Hayter 79, 6), Oster 7, Martin Woods 7, Shiels 7, Sharp 6

Subs Not Used: Gary Woods, Stock, Lockwood, Wilson , Hird, Fairhurst

Booked: Sharp (foul), Sullivan (penalty concession)

Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire) 6 Not bad overall but three key incidents dragged his mark down. Firstly Doncaster should have had a penalty after four minutes, no question about it. Secondly QPR set off on a very promising counter attack in the first half where five players were comfortably outnumbering the backtracking Doncaster players but East pulled the play back for a QPR free kick giving Rovers chance to bring their whole team back behind the ball. Thirdly Helguson’s goal should have stood, again he was too quick with his whistle with the penalty. Referees seem to be far too quick to whistle this season because this is the third time we’ve scored but had to take a penalty instead.

Plymouth 1 QPR 1, Saturday August 15, 2009

Referee Roger East had a reasonable day all in all, although was possibly slightly fussy. There was a lot of whistle from him at times, but not cards which although is usually a relief was not a particularly good thing when Plymouth were kicking Taarabt from pillar to post in the first half and further punishment was probably required. His one really dodgy moment came with little more than twenty minutes left for play. First Taarabt was obviously fouled in the Plymouth half but was told to get up, Argyle then broke and players and fans appealed as one for handball as Fallon’s shot was deflected wide – it did not look like a penalty from the far end of the ground and a corner was the right outcome from where I was.

Plymouth: Larrieu 8, McNamee 6, Seip 6, Timar 6, Sawyer 5, Fletcher 5, Paterson 7 (Duguid 86, -), Judge 7 (Noone 82, -), MacLean 5 (Sheridan 46, 7), Mackie 6, Fallon 7

Subs Not Used: Letheren, Arnason, Summerfield, Johnson

Goals: Gorkss 90 og (assisted Fallon)

QPR: Cerny 6, Ramage 6, Hall 7, Gorkss 6, Borrowdale 6, Routledge 7, Leigertwood 7, Mahon 5, Buzsaky 6 (Ephraim 72, 6), Taarabt 7 (Vine 76, 5), Helguson 6 (Agyemang 61, 5)

Subs Not Used: Heaton, Stewart, Pellicori, Connolly

Goals: Helguson 43 (assisted Taarabt)

Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire) 6 Slightly fussy perhaps, and probably should have produced a card for Plymouth’s brutal approach to stopping Adel Taarabt early on in the game, but overall made very few mistakes and did not stand out – which is what you want.

Cardiff 0 QPR 0, Tuesday February 24, 2009

Liam Miller was the first man to go into the referee’s book for a poor foul on Ledley deep inside the Cardiff half. East could easily have let him off with what was his first foul of the game but it seems churlish to complain when two minutes later Mikele Leigertwood was lucky to get away with a thigh high lunge on McNaughton who subsequently required extensive treatment in the centre circle and was substituted at half time. The home fans bayed for blood, the referee settled for a free kick and a final warning. The next forty five minutes were about as well as Cook has played this season after a poor first half. Within two minutes of the restart he had picked the ball up wide on the left touchline, turned and accelerated away from Cardiff’s new arrival and collapsed in a heap on the edge of the penalty area buying a free kick from our referee. Liam Miller sized the free kick up and was clearly aiming low for a gap to be created by Mahon peeling away just before the shot. Sadly Miller’s aim was slightly out and he succeeded only in blasting the ball straight into the gut of one of the blue bricks in the defensive wall.

Cardiff then came back into the match and enjoyed what would turn out to be their last ten minutes of pressure. It all started with Michael Chopra theatrically hitting the deck under minimal contact from Kaspars Gorkss and appealing demonstrably for a penalty to be awarded. It never was. Cheating, plain and simple. Not the first time Chopra has done that in his career, not even the first time he has done it against us. East was absolutely right to wave the appeals away and could even have showed Chopra a yellow card.

The mood among the home fans did not improve much when Parry took Stewart to the byline and was then the victim of a crude lunge by the Jamaican which should have been a free kick and booking at least but was actually given as a QPR goal kick right in front of the most vociferous Cardiff fans. Mr East was not winning many friends in South Wales although having given them a penalty and disallowed a Coventry goal on his last visit here perhaps they have had their fair share of decisions from him this season. QPR completely took over and dominated the game from this point on.

Cardiff: Konstantopoulos 6, McNaughton 8 (Comminges 46, 5), Purse 7, R Johnson 7, Kennedy 7, Parry 6, Rae 6, Ledley 7, Burke 7 (Owusu-Abeyie 73, 6), Chopra 5 (Whittingham 66, 6), McCormack 6

Subs Not Used: E Johnson, Scimeca

QPR: Cerny 7, Connolly 7, Gorkss 8, Stewart 8, Delaney 8, Cook 7, Miller 6 (Alberti 58, 6), Leigertwood 8, Mahon 7 (Blackstock 89, -), Routledge 7, Helguson 6 (Di Carmine 90, -)

Subs Not Used: Hall, Lopez

Booked: Miller (foul), Alberti (foul)

Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire) 6 The Cardiff fans were moaning about him on the radio afterwards but I thought he got both of their penalty appeals absolutely spot on. One was a blatant dive and the other was a good tackle from Gorkss. Should have booked Stewart and Leigertwood for their fouls and was assisted by a truly awful linesman down at our end of the ground but not bad overall.

Stats

East was promoted onto the Premier League list during the summer and has already racked up ten appointments this season including top flight games between Swansea and Sunderland, and Fulham and West Brom . He has shown 25 yellows and two reds in total (2.5 yellows a game), with both sendings off coming in the Premier League games. Last season he booked 124 and sent off six in 45 appointments, giving him a low booking average of 2.75 yellows a game. His biggest haul in a single match was six yellows and two reds in West Ham's 4-3 home league win against Portsmouth. His last Reading appointment was a 2-2 home draw with Derby in the Championship last season.

He ran the line for QPR's play off final defeat to Cardiff and lists Andy Campbell's winning goal as a career highlight as he got the offside decision correct and allowed the goal. The swine.

Other Listings

League Cup >>> Darren Deadman has started the season in typically card happy form and he has Norwich v Doncaster . Mark Halsey, still dealing with the fall out of what happened at Anfield on Sunday, takes Southampton v Sheff Wed. Our old chum Stuart Attwell takes Sunderland 's trip to MK Dons. Another old QPR foe Lee Mason has tonight's televised game between Leeds and Everton.

Photo: Action Images

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