Hasselbaink

By Graham Barnstaple
August 11 2011

A Fast Track Tribunal was convened today in accordance with the Judicial Panel Protocol to consider the three sendings off at the weekend.

The new tribunal met to consider the cases of St. Mirren’s Nigel Hasselbaink and Albion Rovers two goalies Derek Gaston and Chris Fahey who were all sent off at the weekend.

Hasselbaink was sent off for catching a United player with an elbow, or officially “Wrongful Dismissal for Violent Conduct” but the panel decided there was enough evidence to support the red card.

Having seen the incident on TV I can see why this was the case, while you could argue he was only trying to hold off his opponent he did catch him quite high. This was probably the view the ref saw and showed him the red card.

He will now serve an immediate two match ban and will miss the game with Motherwell this weekend.

Albion Rovers had mixed fortunes from their appeals over the sending off of both their goalies at Arbroath on Saturday. First choice keeper Gaston was sent off after only five minutes for “Denying the Opposing Team or an Opponent an Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity as Defined by Law 12.”

The evidence provided saw the claim upheld and reduced to a caution for Recklessly Dangerous Play.

Sub keeper Fahey was also sent off, in the second half but he wasn’t so lucky as his red card was upheld and he will serve a one match ban immediately.

I guess Paul Martin will have mixed feelings about this, at least he will have his first choice keeper available on Saturday but he will have to decide whether to have a back up on the bench….