Queens Park Rangers 2 Sheffield Wednesday 1: Owls chief Jones fumes and risks wrath of FA after attack on referee

Sheffield Wednesday manager Dave Jones was livid with the officials after defeat at QPR.
Sheffield Wednesday's Atdhe Nuhiu (right) celebrates scoring with team mate Jermaine JohnsonSheffield Wednesday's Atdhe Nuhiu (right) celebrates scoring with team mate Jermaine Johnson
Sheffield Wednesday's Atdhe Nuhiu (right) celebrates scoring with team mate Jermaine Johnson

Returning to the second tier after a tumultuous two-year stay in the Premier League, Nedum Onuoha and Andrew Johnson netted in quick succession as Rangers recovered from Atdhe Nuhiu’s early strike.

As good as QPR were in the 2-1 win, Jones felt his side were robbed of at least a point at Loftus Road.

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Michail Antonio saw a penalty appeal waved away in the first half when Wednesday were ahead, before Jacques Maghoma was given a yellow card by referee Scott Mathieson for diving when caught by Joey Barton, who had only just been booked.

Jones believes the referee had a “shocker” and risked the wrath of the Football Association as he ranted for 17 minutes about the official’s poor display.

“I don’t even think it is unlucky, I think it is an embarrassment for the official to miss the two clear-cut penalties,” claimed the Owls chief.

“You need big calls at places like this in front of a big crowd. You need a big referee to make a big call and he didn’t do it.

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“We just lost our concentration and they capitalised on that. To add insult to it, he then goes and books our player and says it is a dive.

“The referee will go home tonight, put his feet up and get another game – and I don’t think it is right.

“I don’t know where you will put him. I don’t know what league you would put him in because if you can’t pick that out there, he won’t pick it out anywhere.

“Something has to be said – they can’t keep making those mistakes. They are two big calls.

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“It was a good game and I feel for my players. They worked hard, were unlucky. Michail should have scored, we hit the post. I think we deserved to come away with something from the game.”

QPR assistant Kevin Bond appeared in place of manager Harry Redknapp in the post-match press conference and understood Jones’s frustration.

“I haven’t actually seen either of them,” he said. “I am led to believe the second one was a penalty.

“All I would say in defence of the officials and all officials is that I don’t ever think they mean to give a wrong decision.

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“He did it in best faith and that’s all you can ask. The guys have an impossible job and I think they need help.

“Like you get in others sports like tennis and rugby, I think they need TV replays or something for the big decisions.

“Whether they give clubs a couple of calls each half, I don’t know. It has always happened and will always happen.”

Queens Park Rangers: Green, Simpson, Traore, Henry, Hill, Onuoha, Barton (Wright-Phillips 80), Faurlin, Zamora (Austin 69), Johnson, Hoilett (Jenas 88). Unused substitutes: Derry, Dunne, Yun, Murphy.

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Sheffield Wednesday: Kirkland, Mattock (Maghoma 37), Palmer, Prutton, Zayatte, Gardner, Jermaine Johnson, Coke (McCabe 70), Antonio, Helan, Nuhiu (Madine 77). Unused substitutes: Semedo, Davies, Taylor, Llera.

Referee: S Mathieson (Cheshire).

Man of the match: Junior Hoilett.