Hartlepool handed boost as Nicky Deverdics red is rescinded

Struggling Hartlepool United have been successful in their appeal of Nicky Deverdics’ red card from Saturday’s defeat at Dover Athletic.
Pools, who have lost four of their last five National League matches, were hammered 4-0 on the South coast and Deverdics’ late dismissal only added insult to injury.
The former Dover midfielder saw red a minute from time for an alleged elbow on centre-back Connor Essam, meaning he would miss the next three fixtures.
Hartlepool boss Craig Harrison said afterwards: “I am struggling with that decision. Devs got his body between the man and the ball and at no point did I think it was a free-kick for them, let alone a red card!”
After watching footage of the incident, the club lodged an appeal with the FA, who deemed the contact between Deverdics and Essam to be “purely accidental” and therefore the red card was rescinded.
Hartlepool visit EVO-STIK Premier side Workington in the FA Trophy first round on Saturday.