Further Match Reports of QPR's Cup Exit at Luton

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The Guardian -
Luton strike lucky after 20-man brawl as Bailey and ref bang heads - David Ornstein at Kenilworth Road
Luton's progress to the last 32 of the Cup was soured by a 20-man brawl in which the QPR midfielder Stefan Bailey, sent off for a two-footed lunge on Ahmet Brkovic, appeared to head-butt the referee Mike Jones. As pandemonium ensued, the Cheshire official was seen clutching his face and the incident is certain to be investigated further by the Football Association.
Any punishment will compound QPR's woes, the defeat denying them a lucrative fourth-round tie at home to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday and a £150,000 bounty for the television coverage, a sum already earmarked by the Loftus Road board for new signings.
That's a big blow to me personally and the club," said QPR's manager John Gregory, who defended Bailey over the bizarre incident with the referee.
"It certainly wouldn't have been intentional," he said. Remarkably, the former Aston Villa manager also backed his player over the horrific two-footed challenge that earned Bailey a red card, describing it as "a great tackle". Brkovic was last night in hospital for x-rays on a suspected broken ankle.

The 74th-minute melee turned this third-round replay on its head and, within six minutes, Luton took a scarcely deserved lead that proved decisive. QPR, in Gregory's words, "should have been 4-0 up at half time and 7-0 by the end". Exaggeration aside, this should have been the visitors' night; instead they were left to rue a catalogue of missed chances.

Chief culprit for Rangers was Marc Nygaard. The Danish striker spurned three opportunities in the first half - twice with his head and once when he failed to connect with a Dexter Blackstock cross. In the second period he was equally wasteful, skimming the crossbar and shooting into the side netting before being replaced.

The departure of both Carlos Edwards and Rowan Vine earlier this month, allied to the knee ligament damage suffered by Warren Feeney last Saturday, has left Luton devoid of attacking options in recent weeks but QPR's profligacy was an open invitation to take advantage.

On 80 minutes the substitute Dean Morgan - on for the injured Brkovic - produced a drive as wayward as any other Luton strike on the night, but the ball cannoned off Zesh Rehmanand beyond a stranded Simon Royce to keep Luton's dreams of Wembley alive.

"I'm a big believer in fate, particularly when it comes to the FA Cup," said the manager Mike Newell, a Blackburn player from 1991-96. "Maybe we were just meant to play Blackburn on Saturday. I know a lot of people at the club and it will be nice because it was where I spent the most successful part of my career."

A victory on Saturday and Luton Town will be his latest success story. Guardian

INDEPENDENT
Luton Town 1 Queen's Park Rangers 0: Rehman slip sends Luton through after Bailey dismissal
By Conrad Leach
Published: 24 January 2007
Bald facts will show that a Zesh Rehman own goal won this FA Cup third-round replay for Luton but the real reasons were Queen's Park Rangers' own chronic finishing and a moment of madness by Stefan Bailey.

Rehman, a centre-half playing at right-back, stuck out a leg and made contact to divert the ball past the wrong-footed Simon Royce 10 minutes from time.

But the crucial incident came five minutes earlier, which set in motion the events that led to the winning strike. Bailey went for a loose ball but Ahmet Brkovic got there first and Bailey's raised two feet went through the Croat, who was carried off.

On seeing the red card Bailey appeared to brush the referee's face, which could land him in further trouble. Brkovic's replacement was Dean Morgan and it was his volley that led to the only goal.

This win set up the Hatters' manager Mike Newell for a fourth-round tie against his old club Blackburn Rovers at Kenilworth Road. "It was meant to be, to play Blackburn. It was where I spent the best and most successful part of my career," he said.

Both teams came into this match separated by one point and near the foot of the Championship. Luton are ahead by a fraction in League terms, but QPR had the better chances here and greater share of possession.

The hosts had won only twice in their previous 18 games and have recently sold two of their best players, Rowan Vine and Carlos Edwards. They have gained £4.5m but their line-up was weaker as a result. Their strikers, David Bell and Adam Boyd, did not strike fear into their guests.

This defeat extended the visitors' poor record in the FA Cup, as they have not won a game in it since 2001. Marc Nygaard was the culprit in front of goal, missing with his head before Bailey's dismissal put John Gregory's side on the back foot.

Luton Town (4-4-2): Brill; Foley, Davis, Coyne, Perrett; Robinson, Brkovic (Morgan, 77), Langley, Emanuel; Bell, Boyd. Substitutes not used: Barrett (gk), O'Leary, Keane, Stevens.
Queen's Park Rangers (4-4-2): Royce; Rehman, Mancienne, Stewart, Milanese; Smith (Ainsworth, 84), Bailey, Lomas, Cook; Blackstock, Nygaard (R Jones, 71). Substitutes not used: Cole (gk), Kanyuka, Furlong.
Referee: M Jones (Cheshire). INDEPENDENT

TELEGRAPH
Luck for Newell at last
By Trevor Haylett
Last Updated: 12:55am GMT 24/01/2007

Match details





Luton Town (0) 1 Queens Park Rangers (0) 0

Having lost their best players to the transfer market or the treatment table while sliding down the Championship to the accompaniment of supporter unrest, Luton were badly in need of the good fortune that saw them through to a fourth-round tie at home to Blackburn on Saturday.

They owed their passage, which gives manager Mike Newell a reunion with his former club, to a Zesh Rehman own-goal with 11 minutes left. It came shortly after Rangers had been reduced to 10 men following Stefan Bailey's dismissal for a jump tackle.

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The QPR midfielder, born and bred in Luton, could find himself in extra trouble with the FA because he appeared to make contact with referee Mike Jones' face as he moved towards him after being shown the red card. With players milling around, however, it was difficult to see if Bailey had been pushed inadvertently or was guilty of an aggressive gesture. Meanwhile Ahmet Brkovic, the recipient of the two-footed challenge, was taken to hospital amid fears he may have fractured an ankle.

"The tackle looked OK to me, he challenged for the football," said QPR manager John Gregory. About the follow-up incident, he said: "I wouldn't waste time on it, it's a trivial matter. It certainly wouldn't have been intentional."

The 74th-minute flashpoint changed the complexion of this rearranged replay which had been pointing Rangers' way as they made good use of Lee Cook's skills and driving runs.

They could not take advantage, however, while Luton immediately made their numerical superiority count. Dean Morgan replaced Brkovic and within two minutes dispatched a shot with power. It was nevertheless heading away from goal but cannoned off Rehman's shins and flew past Simon Royce's left hand.

Newell said it was meant to be; a happy outcome after a turbulent period in which key players Rowan Vine and Carlos Edwards had been sold. His opposite number was less content. "I'm devastated; we should have been 4-0 up at half-time," said Gregory.

After Luton's David Bell had led the initial assault, Rangers gradually got to grips with the game. Marc Nygaard failed to put away a header before the break and just before had stood in amazement as Dean Brill pulled off a stunning double save, denying first Jimmy Smith and then Dexter Blackstock. Nygaard then scraped the woodwork at the start of the second half with his cross. Telegraph

Mirror - Ann Gripper - ZESH SLIP HANDS IT TO LUTON
LUTON were gifted a fourth round home tie with Premiership side Blackburn last night as QPR self-destructed at Kenilworth Road.
Stefan Bailey was the villain of the piece, the midfielder receiving a straight red card from referee Mike Jones for scything down Ahmet Brkovic after 74 minutes, and it was Brkovic's replacement Dean Morgan who fired in the shot that Zesh Rehman turned into his own net 10 minutes from time.

Those six minutes of madness ended Rangers' hopes of winning an FA Cup tie for the first time since 2001, while Bailey's rash challenge ended in a mass of pushing and shoving in which Bailey also seemed to catch referee Jones in the throng of players.

Having a man advantage gave Luton the confidence and belief to shake off their awful form and earn a first win in seven games, but it was Rangers who had shown more quality going forward, with Jimmy Smith a big threat on the left.


The visitors put Luton under pressure early on, Marc Nygaard just inches away from connecting with Dexter Blackstock's 27th minute left-wing cross, and third-choice Luton keeper Dean Brill was in inspired form to deny Smith and Blackstock in quick succession. Bell found the net for Luton after 37 minutes, only to see it ruled out for offside.

Hatters boss Mike Newell admitted: "QPR had the better of it tonight but we certainly had plenty of it at Loftus Road and it's swings and roundabouts.

"We're through and if it was meant to be it was meant to be. You don't always get what you deserve and I'm a big believer in fate, especially in the FA Cup."

Rangers boss John Gregory admitted he was devastated to lose out on Saturday's money-spinning tie with Blackburn. He said: "That's an awful lot of money that we've blown. We choked in front of goal." Mirror

The Sun - Rehman Own Goal
LUTON boss Mike Newell is relishing a televised FA fourth-round meeting with his old club Blackburn after disposing of 10-man QPR.

Zeshan Rehman’s own goal 11 minutes from time was enough to send the Hatters through after QPR midfielder Stefan Bailey was sent off for a wild lunge on Ahmet Brkovic.

Rangers had looked in control of this third-round replay until Bailey’s 74th-minute moment of madness, which sparked a 20-man brawl.

The tackle caused Brkovic to be carried off the field and the Croat’s replacement, Dean Morgan, hit the 80th-minute shot that was flying wide until it deflected in off Rehman for the winner.

Newell said: “They probably had the better of it but it’s the FA Cup and it’s not about performances it’s about results.

“It’s nice to get through and it’s nice to be facing Blackburn because that’s where I spent the main part of my career and the most successful part of my career.”

Bailey’s red card was followed by further controversy as the player appeared to catch ref Mike Jones with his head after being ordered off.

But Rangers boss John Gregory said: “It certainly would not have been intentional if he had — but that’s a minor issue and it looked a great tackle to me.”

Bailey was also defended by his old Luton team-mate Richard Langley.

He said: “Stefan’s an honest lad. I told the ref to go easy on him but he’d already made his mind up.” The Sun






See Also: John Gregory's Comments & QPR & Luton Official Reports