Neil Lennon wins partial cut in ban

CELTIC manager Neil Lennon has won a reduction in his six-game SFA ban after an appeal at Hampden last night.

He was handed an automatic two-game ban plus four more for "excessive misconduct" after his behaviour towards referee Craig Thomson after being sent to the stand in a 2-0 loss to Hearts at Tynecastle in November.

Lennon wasn't at the hearing but Celtic were represented by Paul McBride QC.

An SFA statement last night said the excessive misconduct charge had been "inevitable". But it went on: "The Appeals Board ... set aside the original sanction of a two-match automatic suspension plus a further four matches for excessive misconduct and have imposed a new sanction of an automatic two-match suspension and an additional two matches." The ban is immediate. Celtic's next four league games are Hamilton (h), Hibs (h) Inverness (a) and St Mirren (h).