Extra lenient referee takes charge of Pompey visit
Monday, 31st Jan 2011 21:01 by Clive Whittingham

The stats say he is the Championship’s most lenient match official, on Tuesday night we get a chance to find out as Grant Hegley takes charge of QPR’s home match with Portsmouth.

Referee >>> Grant Hegley (Hertfordshire), notoriously lenient official in charge of his first QPR game in more than a year with the division’s lowest card average.

Assistants >>> Ian Crouch (Kent) and Gary Evetts (Hertfordshire)

Fourth Official >>> Nigel Lugg (Surrey)

Previously

QPR 0 Scunthorpe 1, Saturday January 30, 2010

Ten minutes before the break Matt Connolly headed a Faurlin corner wide at the back post, although whether the set piece should have been awarded at all by our match referee Grant Hegley was debatable as Rob Jones appeared to have successfully allowed the ball to run out for a goal kick without getting a touch.

This seemed to briefly lift the otherwise silent home crowd and they were further riled when referee Hegley, who actually had a really excellent game overall, overruled his linesman and gave a Scunthorpe goal kick when Jones had clearly toed the ball away from Leigertwood as he reached the byline. From the goal kick determined work by Simpson won the ball back on halfway and he carried it to the edge of the box with Scunthorpe outnumbered and backing off. A ball into Faurlin looked on but he took the shot on himself and Murphy plunged low to his left to parry it away. Simpson again turned down an obvious pass to Faurlin and took on a shot in the next attack but Murphy was able to save comfortably. Vine, having a poor game overall, was the latest man to wonder where his team mates were as he rolled a glorious ball right through the goal mouth without anybody getting a touch just before the hour.

QPR could have been punished for their profligacy when they allowed a long throw from Togwell to bounce in the area and Hooper hooked an effort over his head and towards goal but Ikeme saved. Hooper then skipped past two QPR players on a jinking run into the area that was stopped by Connolly with a fine tackle just as the prolific former Southend man was about to shoot. Rangers could not get set up again though and were fortunate to survive when Hayes crossed and Hooper headed brilliantly into the top corner only for Hegley to disallow it for a meagre push on Connolly – the former Arsenal man has been found wanting for physical presence once or twice when picked at centre back this season and was very fortunate to hear the whistle on this occasion.

Scunthorpe almost benefitted from the referee inadvertently in their next attack though when an expansive pass from Quashie that would have set Taarabt away down the flank struck Hegley on the edge of the penalty area and rebounded straight to Hayes who forced a fine save from Ikeme to spare the official’s blushes. That would have been typical of our luck at the moment had that gone in. Hegley then produced his one and only booking of the game for Grant McCann who hacked downRowan Vine with a crude tackle midway inside the Scunthorpe half – it was a clear foul and obvious booking but for some reason United captain Cliff Byrne decided to race over and aggressively confront Vine as he laid on the ground causing some unpleasant scenes and a bout of handbags. I have no idea what Byrne’s problem was as the foul was clear as day and McCann didn’t seem to protest too much – Byrne was very, very lucky not to be at least booked himself for his idiocy.

Nevertheless heading into the final 20 minutes of the game it was Scunthorpe looking the more confident side and QPR looked like a team fast running out of what few ideas they had in the first place. Hegley played a good advantage after a foul on McCann in the centre circle then brought the play back when Hayes fired over – from the free kick Wright looked for Jones who again rose almost totally unchallenged and Ikeme did well to claw the looping effort out from the top corner of the net with a crowd of players rushing in trying to convert.

QPR: Ikeme 6, Leigertwood 6, Gorkss 7, Connolly 6, Hill 6, Buzsaky 5 (Balanta 80, -), Faurlin 6, Quashie 6, Taarabt 6 (Cook 75, 7),Vine 5 (German 75, 6), Simpson 6

Subs Not Used: Cerny, Ramage, Stewart, Ephraim

Scunthorpe: Murphy 7, Williams 7, Jones 7, Mirfin 6 (Wright 46, 6) Byrne 6, Thompson 7, Togwell 7, McCann 7, Woolford 6 (McDermott 46, 6),Hayes 7, Hooper 7 (Forte 90, -)

Subs Not Used: Lillis, Moloney, O'Connor, Morris

Booked: McCann (foul)

Goals: Thompson 74 (assisted Hooper)

Referee: Grant Hegley (Hertfordshire) 8 One card that was thoroughly deserved and only a couple of errors through the game on things like goal kicks instead of corners and vice versa. I like this referee, he gives the players every chance and allows the game to flow well.

QPR 2 Bristol City 1, Saturday March 21, 2009

Their second one, from the other flank, was not nearly as good and QPR were able to launch a swift counter attack through Taarabt. He tricked his way into the penalty area and was then booked by the referee for theatrically falling to the ground to claim a penalty under challenge from Skuse. That decision looked fair enough but then within two minutes Nicky Maynard accelerated into the box at the other end of the field and flung himself to the floor. Maynard’s fall was at least as dramatic as Taarabt’s under just as little contact and the Bristol City player even had the temerity to turn and appeal to the match officials which the QPR man did not – nevertheless Maynard was not booked by referee Grant Hegley despite his appeals being waved away. Te inconsistencies mounted still further late in the half when Adebola was booked for simulation trying to win a penalty – from my seat that one looked more of a foul than any of them.

The proved to be merely a sighter for Lopez though as he was presented with an almost identical opportunity two minutes later. Again the foul was by McCombe, comfortable up to now in the game but suddenly looking totally out of his depth with to strikers to play against, this time on Di Carmine. After wrestling the Italian to the ground McCombe heaved the ball away down the field, issued a volley of abuse to the referee and then appeared to stick a knee into Di Carmine’s shoulder as he sat up on the turf. None of this was deemed worthy of a booking by referee Hegley though. No matter, up stepped Lopez again and this time the Spaniard made no mistake – curling an unstoppable shot over the wall and into the top corner past the despairing dive of Basso. No keeper in the world would have saved it, a great way for Lopez to open his QPR account.

Sousa sent on Lee Cook for Sam Di Carmine with a quarter of an hour to go but sadly his first involvement was in a Bristol City goal as the visitors equalised with a terribly soft goal from a QPR point of view. Heidar Helguson left a lay off to Cook short wide on the City right and that enabled Orr to poke the ball through to Sproule for a clear run down the touchline. Lee Cook could and should have done better against the former Hibs man but put a powder puff attempt at a tackle in that barely halted Sproule’s progress. The winger crossed deep to the far post under little pressure with the referee waving advantage and there arriving late in the penalty area with Ramage tucked too far infield was Michael McIndoe who showed great technique in sending a crisp volley past Cerny and into the back of the net.

In the final minute of four added on at the end Basso picked up a booking for dissent. Heidar Helguson showed terrific work rate to chase down some loose passes across the City backline but did appear to handle the ball as he blocked it out for a throw in. Basso expected a free kick but when Hegley only signalled a throw the Brazilian keeper lost the plot, slammed the ball into the ground and remonstrated angrily with the match official. It was an obvious booking, but very funny all the same, and his protests carried on after the final whistle the followed seconds later.

QPR: Cerny 7, Ramage 7, Connolly 7 (Helguson 61, 6), Gorkss 7, Delaney 7, Alberti 5 (Routledge 46, 5), Leigertwood 7, Lopez 8, Ephraim 7, Taarabt 8, Di Carmine 6 (Cook 73, 5)

Subs Not Used: Mahon, Vine

Booked: Taarabt (diving)

Goals: Lopez 65 (unassisted), Taarabt 81 (assisted Delaney)

Bristol City: Basso 7, Orr 6, McAllister 6, Fontaine 6, McCombe 4, McIndoe 7, Skuse 6, Sproule 7 (Styvar 86, -), Johnson 6 (Elliott 86, -), Adebola 7, Maynard 6

Subs Not Used: Henderson, James Wilson, John

Booked: Adebola (diving), Basso (dissent)

Goals: McIndoe 77 (assisted Sproule)

Referee: Grant Hegley (Hertfordshire) 5 Very inconsistent with the diving bookings – Maynard’s was the biggest dive of the lot and didn’t receive any punishment. Also far too lenient with McCombe who was basically give free reign to kick his way through the QPR forward line and abuse the match officials with no comeback.

QPR 1 Blackpool 1, Tuesday September 30, 2008

Cook and Agyemang combined to set up Blackstock for a back post header that bounced once and ended in the keeper’s arms before he got one right, only to be denied by the referee. Rowlands, now detailed to play wide right, took an inswinging corner to the back post which was headed home powerfully by Dexter Blackstock – a late decision by referee Hegley to penalise the striker for climbing over Camara cut the celebrations short. It looked like the right decision.

To compound the frustration referee Grant Hegley departed from his previously lenient stance to dole out a harsh booking to Mikele Leigertwood for a run of the mill foul on halfway only to then return to a policy of appeasement as several Blackpool players were allowed to escape with worse tackles punished only with a free kick.

In the end QPR will wonder how they didn’t win the game in stoppage time. Cook caused Blackpool problems down the left again and sent in a wicked cross that deflected off a defender and dropped stone dead on the edge of the six yard box. Blackstock and Rachubka converged, a scramble ensued, the referee obliged Blackpool with a generous free kick although as the ball steadfastly refused to cross the line the decision was not as controversial as it might have been. A late penalty appeal was also waved away although that looked to be the right decision.

QPR Cerny 6, Ramage 4, Hall 6, Stewart 6, Delaney 5, Mahon 6 (Buzsaky 7) Parejo 4 (Leigertwood 7), Ledesma 4 (Agyemang 7), Rowlands 5, Cook 7, Blackstock 6

Subs not used: Camp, Gorkss

Bookings: Leigertwood 69 (foul)

Goals: Blackstock 80 (assisted Buzsaky)

Blackpool: Rachubka 7, Southern 6, Evatt 7, Edwards 7, Camara 6, Vaughan 6 (Broomes 84, -), Taylor-Fletcher 7, Jorgensen 5 (Fox 90, -), Barker 6, Kabba 6, Burgess 7

Subs Not Used: Coid, Hammill, Gow

Goals: Taylor-Fletcher 18 (unassisted)

Referee – Grant Hegley (Hertfordshire) 6 Maintained his reputation as a lenient official by only showing one yellow card, and even that one seemed to come on the say so of a linesman. Let the game flow too much in truth with one or two fouls ignored and a couple of Blackpool players lucky to escape without bookings but I’d much prefer this kind of refereeing every week to the card happy, game ruining style of officiating exhibited by Mike Riley in the two big Premiership games last week. Disallowed a QPR goal and waved away a late penalty claim but both looked to be the right decisions to me.

Scunthorpe 2 QPR 2, Saturday December 8, 2007

On a soaking wet pitch Scunthorpe started the brighter of the two sides and forced early corners which sent warning bells ringing throughout the away end. The marking every time Scunthorpe put the ball into the box was abysmal. Likeable Iron boss Nigel Adkins had clearly watched videos of our Ryman League standard backline because every time they got a free kick or corner, and with referee Grant Hegley in eccentric form there were quite a few, they took them very quickly and pumped the ball into the box. I cannot recall an occasion when we were ready for it. Nobody talking, nobody organising, nobody marking and on countless occasions three or four QPR players actually wandering around the box with their backs to the ball as it was delivered. I mean this is Sunday League stuff.

Once again though QPR marched down the other end and bagged a goal against the run of play. After a succession of questionable decisions against QPR it was nice to see Mr Hegley award a free kick in our favour down by the far corner flag after a foul by Jack Cork on Scott Sinclair. Rangers packed the box but Buzsaky decided to go for it himself and whipped a glorious cross shot past Murphy and into the far corner of the net. Murphy finally got a save in from the Hungarian in stoppage time when he denied him a hat trick with a low fingertip stop.

Nygaard introduced himself to the game in incredible fashion. Literally within three seconds of arriving on the pitch he wrested Andy Butler to the ground under a corner. Referee Hegley decided to return the ball to Hurst for a retake and warn both players about their future conduct but he could easily have awarded a spot kick. Moments later Nygaard came flying through the back of Morris leaving the Iron striker stricken on the turf and he was lucky to be allowed to stay on the pitch after that one. God only knows what he was thinking after coming on.

Scunthorpe: Murphy 6, Cork 8, Crosby 7, Butler 6, Williams 6, Forte 6 (Morris 89, -), Goodwin 7, Sparrow 6, Hurst 7, Hayes 6 (Ameobi 78, 5),Paterson 7

Subs Not Used: Lillis, Mulligan, Baraclough

Booked: Butler (foul)

Goals: Paterson 24, Forte 55

QPR: Camp 6, Malcolm 3, Stewart 4, Rehman 4 (Timoska 73, 5), Barker 4, Buzsaky 9 (Ainsworth 90, -) Rowlands 5, Bolder 7, Leigertwood 5, Sinclair 5 (Nygaard 76, 4), Vine 6

Subs Not Used: Cole, Balanta

Booked: Bolder (repetitive fouling), Vine (foul), Nygaard (use of elbow)

Goals: Buzsaky 12, 42

Referee: Grant Hegley (Hertfordshire) 5 Seemed to give a lot of decisions Scunthorpe's way in the first half although in his defence our circus act back four was making stupid challenges time and again. In the second half he was generous with Nygaard on two occasions - Scunthorpe looked to have a good penalty shout and then the Dane could easily have been sent off for a crazy challenge through the back of an opponent..

That was his first QPR appointment in three years with the 1-0 home defeat by Sheff Utd in 2004/05 his last prior to the match at Glanford Park. He refereed our memorable 3-2 home win against Port Vale in the promotion season as well.

Stats

I can honestly say that in five years of writing for LFW I have never seen a card count quite like Mr Hegley’s. This season he has shown only 22 yellow cards in 20 matches, and two reds. That is astonishingly low – especially when you consider that ten of the yellows and one of the reds came in three games right at the start of the season. Without that he would have just 12 yellows and a red to his name in 17 games. On seven occasions he hasn’t shown a card at all, on eight occasions he has shown just a single yellow. It was the same story last season too – 40 yellows and one red in 36 matches, 15 games with no cards at all. He did however show four yellows the last time he refereed Portsmouth – a 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United in September.

Other Listings

Championship >>> QPR fans would have been keeping a close eye on Cardiff v Reading in any case, but will probably show extra interest now young Gavin Ward has been appointed to it. Andy D’Urso has Forest’s trip to Coventry. Graham Salisbury has Hull v Leeds after recently being given Derby v Forest – clearly somebody somewhere sees him as a safe pair of hands.

Photo: Action Images

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