Hibs' Marvin Bartley told '˜don't change the way you play'

Hibernian's Marvin Bartley. Picture: SNS

The English enforcer, pictured, was dismissed by referee Stephen Finnie during Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Raith Rovers after he was alleged to have stamped on winger Bobby Barr. However, the SFA yesterday confirmed that Bartley had won his appeal against the decision, just as he did in the days following his ordering off against Ayr United on 17 September.

Hibs have now had three red cards in their last four Championship fixtures, two of those being quashed. However, Lennon insists Bartley is right to feel “vindicated” and will not change his style.

“I don’t think it will affect the way Marvin plays,” confirmed Lennon following the verdict. “If I do speak to him about it then I’ll be telling him: ‘you are in the team to be our powerhouse. Don’t change the way you play’. He is not a dirty player. He is very strong and plays the game in the right way. He’s honest and there will be no change in his style – he is in our team to do a specific job.

“When he is vindicated, he can feel good about himself. He knows it wasn’t about him, it was just the wrong decision.

“That’s the second time he has won an appeal now, so hopefully that’s the end of it and it won’t happen again. I’m sure the referees don’t want the publicity and we certainly don’t either. It’s frustrating, but at least the right conclusion has been reached eventually. We move on but we can’t get the time back, the games back or the potential extra points back.

“I was gobsmacked at the weekend, just as I was against Ayr, to see a red card come out for something as innocuous  as that.

“Hopefully referees will take a little more time about those sorts of decisions.”