Doherty wins appeal

Michael Bailey Norwich City defender Gary Doherty has won his appeal against the red card he received in their defeat to Bristol City at Carrow Road on Saturday.Doherty was set to serve a two-match suspension for his second dismissal of the Championship season, but the FA upheld the Canaries' appeal against his red card for “denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity”.

Michael Bailey

Gary Doherty has won his appeal against the red card he received in Norwich's 2-1 defeat to Bristol City at Carrow Road on Saturday.

Doherty was set to serve a two-match suspension for his second dismissal of the current Championship season, but the FA upheld the Canaries' appeal against his sending off - for “denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity” - and the defender is now free to face Preston North End at Deepdale on Saturday, and Burnley at Carrow Road on Saturday, February 21.

Norwich boss Bryan Gunn told the club's official website: "This shows the appeal system works. I wasn't convinced it was a sending off, Gary played the ball but from the referee's positioning it was a sending off and a penalty-kick. They've had a chance to look at it again and it's fallen in our favour.

"It won't bring us points but we will have an influential figure available for the next game and we're delighted about that. I want to thank the FA committee for making the time to look at it."

Chief Executive Neil Doncaster told www.canaries.co.uk: "We are delighted that the FA has reviewed the evidence and demonstrated that the sending off and penalty awarded was incorrect."