Buckie Thistle have won their appeal against Joe McCabe’s red card in Saturday’s GPH Builders Merchants Highland League Cup semi-final against Banks o’ Dee.
Referee Gordon Seago sent the full-back off midway through the first half for a challenge on Chris Antoniazzi.
But the Jags – who used footage from the Press and Journal’s Highland League Weekly as part of their case – appealed to the SFA and the offence has been downgraded to a yellow card.
That means McCabe will be available for Buckie’s clash with Dee in the Breedon Highland League at Spain Park this weekend.
Manager Stewart said: “We’re delighted Joe is available again and won’t miss a game, but we’re also devastated that he was sent off and it had a big impact on Saturday’s game.
Buckie Thistle ‘thankful the footage was there to assist’
“I think if we’d had 11 men on the park we would be in the final.
“I like the referee, he’s a nice guy, it’s a maybe just a little error on his part.
“The footage shows if there was any contact it was very minimal and the reaction of the player probably counts against him a wee bit.
“We’re thankful the footage was there to assist with the appeal.
“We’re disappointed Joe was sent off in the first place, but we have to take the positives, we’ve got him back for Saturday and he’s an important player for us.
“It’s been downgraded to a booking and if that had been the original decision I think we’d have gone on to win.”
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