Blackpool referee Leigh Doughty, in his second season on the Championship list, gets a second career QPR date this Friday as the beleaguered R’s head to Huddersfield.

Referee >>> Leigh Doughty (Blackpool)

Assistants >>> Nick Greenhalgh (Lancashire) and Craig Taylor (West Mids)

Fouth Official >>> Rebecca Welch (Washington)

History

QPR 1 Bristol City 2, Saturday September 18, 2021, Championship

The afternoon ticking on through five minutes of added time, and QPR seemingly were to be left frustrated with their point. They’d had 26 shots, and 11 on target, to Bristol City’s nine and soon to be three. Johansen’s challenge on Massengo barely existed, and the free kick awarded by the corner flag was a rare misstep from excellent new referee Leigh Doughty — Johansen’s yellow for dissent puts him on four already for the campaign as he races towards a one match ban.

QPR: Dieng 6; Odubajo 5 (Adomah 65, 6), Dickie 6, De Wijs 6, Barbet 6, McCallum 7; Johansen 7; Chair 6, Willock 7; Dykes 5 (Ball 80, -), Gray 6 (Austin 64, 5)

Subs not used: Thomas, Dozzell, Dunne, Walsh

Goals: McCallum 54 (unassisted)

Bookings: Gray 51 (foul), Barbet 79 (foul), Ball 85 (foul), Johansen 90 (dissent)

Bristol City: Bentley 9; Tanner 6, Kalas 7, Atkinson 7, Baker 6 (Dasilva 45, 6), Pring 6 (Semenyo 71, 6); James 6, Bakinson 7, Messengo 8; Martin 6 (Wells 62, 7), Weimann 7

Subs not used: Simpson, Williams, O’Leary, Palmer

Goals: Martin 44 (assisted Messengo/Weimann), Wells 90+3 (assisted Weimann)

Bookings: Bakinson 53 (foul)

Referee — Leigh Doughty (Blackpool) 8 You’re never going to agree with everything, and nor is a referee going to get everything right — the late decision against Johansen resulting in a booking for dissent was a bit of a joke, and many of the the usual complaints about lack of action on time wasting apply — but overall I rated this the best refereeing display we’ve had this season. Calm, unfussy, uninvolved, right up and on top of play, built like an absolute brick shit-house, very confident and assured. Absolute chalk and cheese from the Keith Stroud-chaired chimp’s tea party on Tuesday night and easy to see why he’s been promoted four levels in five years.

Stats

A rapid rise up the ranks for 31-year-old Doughty who joined the EFL list in 2019/20 and was given a League Two play-off date between Cheltenham and Northampton at the end of a first season which included 82 yellows (3.03) and two reds in 27 appointments. He was promoted to the Championship for the start of 2020/21, a fourth elevation in as many seasons for the PE teacher, and finished up with 81 yellows (3.24) and four reds in 25 outings. So far this season he’s shown 103 yellows and four reds in 28 matches. He refereed Huddersfield’s 4-0 home win against Reading in August and 0-0 draw at Luton in October.

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