Williamson in charge as Burnley visit
Thursday, 28th Oct 2010 22:19 by LFW

Iain Williamson returns to Loftus Road as referee for the first time since Martin Rowlands' blockbuster saw off Wolves two seasons ago.

Referee >>> Iain Williamson (Berkshire), former player with Walton and Hersham who has had five QPR appointments in nine seasons on the league list

Assistants >>> Lee Betts (Norfolk) and John Hopkins (Essex)

Fourth official >>> Steve Rubery (Essex)

Previously

QPR 1 Wolves 0, Saturday December 6, 2008

McCarthy had seen enough and just before the hour mark he sent on former Gillingham winger Matt Jarvis for David Jones. Jarvis has missed several weeks of action with a hamstring injury but he immediately got to work on the QPR defence, tricking and teasing his way past Ramage and into the penalty area with his first touch of the ball. His cross to the back post looked to be past the unmarked Ebanks Blake at the back post but the striker flung out an arm to punch it goalwards and another superb save from Cerny was required to keep the bouncing effort out. Despite appeals from every QPR defender it looked very much to me like referee Williamson and linesman Malone had missed the hand ball because no flag was raised or play on gesture signalled, Blake also escaped a mandatory yellow card so I assume had Cerny not saved it the goal would have stood which is quite disturbing. All thoughts of the potential injustice evaporated within ten seconds though.

Cerny cleared the ball downfield and once again Heidar Helguson won it in the air on the edge of the Wolves’ penalty box. There seemed to be little danger as the ball landed at the feet of a static Patrick Agyemang but Martin Rowlands burst forwards from midfield, took it off his team mate’s toe and unleashed an unstoppable drive into the roof of the net. The deep and speed on the ball beat Hennessey all ends up, it was a fabulous strike in front of the watching Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni.

Initially QPR seemed keen to go for a second goal and within five minutes of taking the lead they had big appeals for a penalty at the Loft End waved away when Helguson cut the ball back into the area and Stearman turned it behind with what looked like his arm. In the end a corner was QPR’s only reward and that opportunity passed them by when Stewart headed down into the six yard box at the back post but was penalised by the referee for climbing on his man.

Mr Williamson had his yellow card out in the next meaningful action, Michael Mancienne continued his torrid return to Loftus Road by misjudging a long ball down the middle and then rather than allow it to bounce in behind him he thrust up an arm and deliberately knocked it away from the danger zone. There were few complaints with the subsequent booking. The subsequent free kick was met with a towering back post header by Helguson but it lacked sufficient power or direction to trouble Hennessey unduly.

As Wolves enjoyed their best spell in the game numerous low crosses were flying backwards and forwards in front of Cerny’s goal and Jarvis was giving Ramage a torrid time down the left flank. After a neat one two with Keogh Jarvis drew the first QPR caution of the game when he was chopped down by Martin Rowlands but the free kick came to nothing. He also had what looked like a decent penalty appeal waved away when he cut into the penalty area again and fell under a clumsy looking tackle from Ramage – thankfully for the home fans Iain Williamson showed little interest in the incident.

QPR: Cerny 8, Ramage 6, Stewart 9, Gorkss 9, Delaney 7, Ephraim 7, Mahon 7, Rowlands 8, Blackstock 6 (Cook 27, 6) (Di Carmine 90, -), Helguson 7 (Tommasi 77, 5), Agyemang 7

Subs Not Used: Cole, Borrowdale

Booked: Rowlands (foul)

Goals: Rowlands 63 (assisted Helguson)

Wolves: Hennessey 8, Foley 6, Stearman 5, Mancienne 5, Ward 6, Kightly 5, Edwards 6, Henry 6, Jones 6 (Jarvis 58, 7), Iwelumo 5 (Vokes 72, 6), Ebanks-Blake 5 (Keogh 78, 6)

Subs Not Used: Higgs, Collins

Booked: Mancienne (handball)

Referee: Iain Williamson (Berkshire) 7 Obviously this mark would have been far lower had Ebanks-Blake been allowed to score with his handball, and I really think both officials missed it. They got away with that but were very decent apart from that, Williamson allowed the game to flow, only booked when totally necessary and belied a reputation as a card happy referee. Seemed to give a lot of decisions QPR’s way in the first half but it was hard to argue with many of them.

Prior to that he refereed a rare win under Gary Waddock’s stewardship – a 2-0 home success against Southend in which Martin Rowlands and Nick Ward scored and Blackstock, Ray Jones and Matthew Rose were three of four players booked. He was also in charge for a 4-1 home win against Cheltenham in 2003 when Lee Cook was the only QPR booking for the heinous crime of removing his shirt after scoring the third goal. In 2003/04 he was in charge as the R’s beat Kidderminster 2-0 at home in the vans trophy, and lost 4-2 at Chesterfield in the driving snow.

Stats

Mr Williamson has been absolutely flying with the cards this season – handing out 45 yellows and a red in just 12 matches, 3.75 a game. That total has been significantly boosted by a seven card haul in his first match of the season between Southend and Stockport. High scoring games seem to have followed him around as well – he has a 3-2, 4-2, 2-3, 7-4 and 3-4 on his record so far.

Strangely his stats seem to be missing for last season but in 2008/09 he showed a whopping 138 yellows and six reds in 30 matches (4.6 yellows a game). He showed eight yellow cards in a single match on two occasions and managed nine at Millwall v Stockport.

Other listings

Championship >>> Andy D’Urso has the evening’s televised match between Hull and Barnsley, Gavin Ward who persecuted us at Reading last season has Leicester v Preston and dodgy Premiership referee Kevin Friend has Ipswich v Millwall.

League Two >>> Rob Shoebridge of Bristol City v Palace ghost goal infamy has Northampton v Gillingham.

Photo courtesy of refworld.com

Photo: Action Images

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