Vital Leeds: Orient Appeal Fails

Leyton Orient midfielder Sean Thornton will serve a four-match suspension for violent conduct, as the FA reject the clubs appeal for wrongful dismissal.

The former Sunderland and Doncaster Rovers midfielder was adjudged to have punched Leeds United goal scorer Seb Carole by referee Nigel Miller and the FA have confirmed that they agree with the controversial ref’s post-match report.

The official wording states Thornton had “challenged with an opponent for an aerial ball, the opponent won the ball in the air and Thornton punched the opponent in the head.” A picture on the official Leyton Orient website suggests it was less of a punch, and more of an arm/elbow to the face, a foul that would still constitute a red card for violent conduct.

It is Thornton’s second dismissal of the season, and therefore he sits out a fourth game on top of the mandatory three-game suspension.

O’s boss Martin Ling, who’s eagle-eyed vision had spotted from the halfway line that Orient had had a perfectly good goal disallowed was naturally unhappy at the FA’s decision: 'We're very disappointed that the appeal has been rejected because we felt we had a very good case' he said.

'The referee's report said that Sean punched Seb Carole and we didn't think that description matched the incident.'

A poor description of the event I agree but sorry Leyton Orient, you raise an arm to an opponents face in the modern game and you’re going to be in trouble!

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