Newcastle admit to FA charge after Sunderland defeat
Friday 30 October 2015 17:46, UK
Newcastle have admitted an FA charge of failing to control their players during Sunday's 3-0 derby defeat at Sunderland.
However, the club have also submitted an application for the charge to be reassessed due to mitigating circumstances.
Newcastle were charged because of the reaction of their players to Fabricio Coloccini's dismissal at the Stadium of Light.
The Magpies captain was shown a straight red card by referee Robert Madley in first-half injury-time for barging Steven Fletcher over as they chased a Jermain Defoe pass.
And Adam Johnson converted the subsequent penalty to give Sunderland a 1-0 lead.
The decision infuriated the Newcastle players and Coloccini successfully appealed against the red card.
An FA statement regarding the appeal read: "Fabricio Coloccini will not serve a one-match suspension after his wrongful dismissal claim was successful.
"An Independent Regulatory Commission found that the match referee had made an obvious error in dismissing the Newcastle United defender."
Newcastle manager Steve McClaren said on Friday that the successful appeal only added to his disappointment.
He said: "It makes it even worse because we felt at the time that it definitely wasn't a goalscoring opportunity.
"The ball was in (Newcastle goalkeeper) Rob Elliot's hands.
"It spoilt the game, really, obviously not for Sunderland, but it really spoilt it for us in terms of being a football match."
