Cheik Tiote red card appeal rejected

Newcastle midfielder Cheik Tiote will serve a three-match ban after his appeal against his red card during Saturday's FA Cup third-round defeat at Stevenage was dismissed.

The 24-year-old Ivorian was shown a straight red card by referee Andre Marriner for a lunging tackle on Jon Ashton in the 71st minute of the Magpies' 3-1 at Broadhall Way.

A Football Association statement read: "At a regulatory commission hearing today, a claim for wrongful dismissal from Newcastle United midfielder Cheik Tiote was rejected.

"As a result, Tiote's three-match suspension will remain in place."

Magpies manager Alan Pardew stood by his man after the match, claiming the referee had made a mistake.

He said: "I wanted to protect Tiote (by starting him from the bench) because he had a slight strain but that has come back to hurt me. He came on to try to make a difference and has been sent off.

"The referee got it wrong. He was fast. He travelled across the ground. He was aggressive in the challenge but in no way was he intending to hurt the player.

"The ball was going away from the player. I was astonished by that."

Tiote, who has impressed for Newcastle since his summer move from FC Twente, will now sit out the Barclays Premier League matches against Sunderland, Tottenham and Fulham.