Brighton boss Chris Hughton admitted the sending off of QPR captain Nedum Onuoha was harsh and proved pivotal in his side’s 3-0 win.
Onuoha saw red 11 minutes into the second half after a tangle with Brighton striker Sam Baldock, as he latched on to a through ball.
Referee Keith Stroud decided that not only was it a foul but Onuoha was also denying a clear goalscoring opportunity – but Hughton felt the defender was unlucky.
“I thought it was harsh,” he said.“In the referee’s defence, Sam’s got himself goal side. It is one that some would have given and some wouldn’t have done.”
Hughton was also impressed with QPR’s first-half performance and conceded they matched Brighton in spells.
He said: “I thought in periods QPR were good and probably if they were a side in better form they would have been able to capitalise on it.
“But that’s perhaps the difference between the two sides at the moment.
“We’re in a good rhythm as regards results and they’re not, and there was an indication of that, certainly in the first half.
“We had to defend well and David Stockdale has had to make a couple of very good saves.
“I don’t think I could have had too many complaints if we’d gone in at half-time 1-1 or 0-0.
“The second half, I think, was different, particularly when they went down to 10 men – it was very difficult for them.”
This post was last modified on 27/12/2016