Dean charged with keeping a lid on Chelsea clash
Friday, 27th Jan 2012 01:56 by Clive Whittingham

This Saturday sees QPR’s first match of the season with Premirship referee Mike Dean and although he has previously refereed the R’s against Chelsea in the FA Cup he has been an infrequent appointment for us.

Referee >>> Mike Dean (Wirral), Premiership referee who hasn’t taken charge of QPR since 2008, but has previously refereed a cup clash between these two sides.

Assistants >>> Steve Child (Kent) and Peter Kirkup (Northants)

Fourth Official >>> Mike Jones (Cheshire)

Previously

Coventry 0 QPR 0, Wednesday March 5, 2008, Championship

It took 18 minutes for QPR to actually get the ball down and keep it for more than five passes but just when you thought they were going to come into the game a little Coventry won a free kick from Damien Delaney and after a brief goal mouth scramble Best had a golden chance to open the scoring when Leigertwood’s wild clearance dropped at his feet eight yards out from goal – his finish into the ground sent the ball bouncing up and over the crossbar and smacked of a striker lacking confidence. His approach play was good all night, but he never once looked like hitting the back of the net even on the half hour when he raced through on goal after what looked like a foul sent Matt Connolly crashing to the floor on the edge of the centre circle. With Premiership referee Mike Dean waving play on Best strode into the area but his low shot was brilliantly saved at point blank range by Lee Camp who then led the protests to the referee with Martin Rowlands.

The rare sight of QPR on the attack was quickly erased from the memory as Connolly became the first player into referee Mike Dean’s notebook. Mifsud got the better of Delaney again and as Connolly came across the Maltese mosquito did him for pace. The former Arsenal man was forced to upend his opponent in a scything and blatantly deliberate trip that Dean had no hesitation in producing a card for.

The frustration of it was all too much for Buzsaky who, after miscontrolling the ball once again on half way, chased after Mifsud and launched into a crude lunging tackle on him right on the touchline. This incident took place in front of the only well populated area of the ground and all three Coventry fans jumped up and demanded action from Mike Dean. The referee showed Buzsaky a yellow card after taking some time out to calm the situation down – what a difference from D’Urso on Sunday who raced across red card in hand without hesitation and caused a problem for himself.

Coventry: Marshall N/A, Osbourne 6, Ward 6, Dann 6, Fox 6, Mifsud 8, Tabb 6 (Gray 75, 5), Stephen Hughes 5, Doyle 5, Thornton 8, Best 6

Subs Not Used: Konstantopoulos, Hall, Andrews, Simpson

Booked: Best (handball)

QPR: Camp 8, Mancienne 7, Hall 7, Connolly 7, Delaney 5, Buzsaky 5, Leigertwood 5, Rowlands 6 (Ainsworth 90, -), Ephraim 5, Agyemang 4 (Blackstock 85, -), Vine 5

Subs Not Used: Pickens, Barker, Stewart

Booked: Connolly (foul), Buzsaky (foul)

Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral) 6 - Seemed to miss a lot of fouls on QPR players, particularly the one on Connolly that allowed Best through on goal in the first half, but overall not too bad. No complaints over any of the bookings.

Chelsea 1 QPR 0, Saturday January 5, 2008, FA Cup

Chelsea had the first chance of the half when Mikel collapsed theatrically under minimal contact from the excellent Martin Rowlands and won a free kick – Mike Dean’s only poor decision of the game in my opinion. Alex stepped up from fully 40 yards and although he beat the wall the shot was never going to seriously trouble Camp and he gathered easily.

Fitz Hall became the first and only player to enter the referee’s book for a crude lunge on Shaun Wright Phillips after indecision by Chris Barker had let the winger in behind him. Wright Phillips was replaced by Cole moments later but didn’t appear to be carrying any lasting damage from the tackle.

Chelsea: Hilario 7, Ferreira 8, Ben-Haim 7, Alex 7, Ashley Cole 6, Wright-Phillips 5 (Joe Cole 79, 6), Obi 6, Sidwell 8, Sinclair 5 (Drogba 60, 6), Kalou 6, Pizarro 7 (Ballack 71, 7)

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Belletti

Goals: Camp 28 og (assisted Pizarro)

QPR: Camp 7, Hall 8, Stewart 8, Barker 7, Ainsworth 6 (Agyemang 46, 6), Connolly 8, Mahon 8, Rowlands 8, Ephraim 6 (Balanta 65, 6), Blackstock 6, Buzsaky 6 (Lee 50, 7)

Subs Not Used: Bolder, Walton

Booked: Hall (foul)

Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral) 9 - An almost faultless display with just one free kick given for a foul on Mikel that I would question. Allowed the game to flow, only showed one card. Great stuff.

Prior to that he refereed our 3-0 defeat at Palace in December 2006 booking Kevin Gallen and Zesh Rehman in the process, and then you have to go all the way back to the opening day of the 1999/00 season when we beat Huddersfield 3-1 at Loftus Road for his next QPR appointment. The previous season he’d sent off Paul Murray in a typically awful performance and 3-1 defeat at Swindon Town.

Stats

Until he booked seven at last weekend’s Arsenal v Man Utd game Mike Dean had been on a bit of a lenient run with only five bookings in his previously four appointments. He’s only sent one player off this season too, Chelsea’s Fernando Torres against Swansea, 18 matches ago way back in September. Overall he has booked 76 in 24 games – 3.166 a match. His biggest haul in a single match was eight yellows in Bolton’s 3-1 win at Wigan in October.

Last season he showed 147 yellows and seven reds in 43 games (3.41 a game) headlined by seven yellows as Aston Villa drew with Man Utd and six yellows and a red at Dortmund v Seville in the Europa League.

Other Listings

FA Cup >>> Just when Harry Redknapp thought his week couldn’t get any worse I’m sure he will be less than delighted to hear they have Chris Foy again for their Friday night trip to Watford, he upset them with a series of incorrect decisions at Stoke earlier this season. Martin Atkinson has Liverpool v Man Utd.

League One >>> Trevor Kettle has Tranmere v Huddersfield. Anre Marriner drops out of the Premiership for Chesterfield v Bournemouth.

Wednesday >>> An advance warning that we have Neil Swarbrick in charge again at Aston Villa on Wednesday following the Norwich debacle just a few short weeks ago.

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Photo: Action Images

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