Jennings ban upheld but Pawlett red card rescinded

Motherwell midfielder Steve Jennings has lost his fight to avoid a two-match ban following his clash with St Mirren midfielder Jim Goodwin.

Motherwell rejected the Scottish Football Association’s offer of a two-game suspension but a fast-track tribunal upheld the compliance officer’s decision.

However, the panel rescinded Aberdeen midfielder Peter Pawlett’s red card and cleared Dunfermline manager Jim McIntyre and Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels over post-match comments. Jennings raised his hand to Goodwin’s face during Saturday’s 1-1 Clydesdale Bank Premier League draw at Fir Park after being barged in the back by the Saints captain.

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Both players were booked, the Motherwell man for a foul on Graham Carey that sparked the altercation.

Goodwin then punched Jennings out of sight of referee Calum Murray and accepted a two-match ban from compliance officer Vincent Lunny.

Jennings has now been handed the same punishment and will miss tomorrow’s match against Hearts at Tynecastle and a home match with Dunfermline. Motherwell announced they were “disappointed with the outcome but respect the judgment of the panel”.

Pawlett won his case yesterday but will still miss the next two games after accepting a two-match ban from Lunny earlier in the week.

The Scotland under-21 international was shown a red card for a sliding challenge on Lewis Stevenson during Aberdeen’s 1-0 win over Hibernian on Saturday but the panel have reduced the offence to a yellow card.

However, Aberdeen had earlier opted to accept his two-match ban for simulation after he fell theatrically while running alongside Ivan Sproule to win the penalty that won them the game. Pawlett will miss matches against Inverness and Hearts.

McIntyre escaped punishment after the panel decided he had not breached the SFA’s rule 68, which forbids comments about match officials that indicate bias or incompetence or impinge on his character. The Dunfermline manager had been issued with a notice of complaint for comments about referee Steve Conroy after their 2-1 defeat to Rangers earlier this month.

McIntyre accused match official Conroy of having “a nightmare” and claimed his penalty award to Rangers was “a really, really poor decision”. Sone Aluko, who won the spot-kick, was later banned for two games for simulation.

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The panel also exonerated Shiels over the same charge following his post-match comments after a 1-1 draw against Hibs at Easter Road last month.

Shiels, whose case was not publicised by the SFA in advance, unlike the others, made a thinly-veiled criticism of referee Stephen Finnie.