Wellington Phoenix will appeal the three-match suspension handed out to coach Ricki Herbert for allegedly abusing referee Peter O’Leary during Saturday’s dramatic 2-1 win over Adelaide United in Christchurch.
Herbert was ordered from the sidelines by O-Leary around the 92nd minute of the match at AMI Stadium after arguing with him about the placement of a free-kick by United goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic.
The Phoenix coach was stood in the tunnel when defender Ben Sigmund headed home the winner in the dying seconds of the match.
Football Federation Australia-s match review panel found the coach guilty of “use of offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures against a match official”.
The appeal will now be heard by FFA disciplinary committee and if it is unsuccessful Herbert will be in the stands for Saturday-s game against Gold Coast plus fixtures against Newcastle and North Queensland.
In an incident-filled ending to Saturday’s game, United skipper Travis Dodd was sent-off seven minutes from the end of the match for kicking Phoenix midfielder Vince Lia.
But the contact was clearly accidental and the match review panel expunged the red card because it had been an “obvious error” meaning Dodd will be available for Adelaide’s game against the Fury on Friday night.
