TAUNTON TOWN have had three points deducted from their Evo-Stik League Southern Division One South & West total after being found guilty of fielding an ineligible player.
The Peacocks have been caught in FA Cup fever recently having made it to the first round, where they drew with National League side Barrow on Saturday.
However, their league campaign has received a blow after losing their appeal against a points deduction for fielding an unregistered player on the opening day of the season.
Taunton won the game, at Shortwood United, 3-0 but the points they gained from the victory have now been removed from their total.
The deduction means the Peacocks have now fallen to 14th in the league table with 15 points although they have a number of games in hand due to their FA Cup involvement.
A Southern League statement read: “Further to an incident on Saturday 6 August 2016 in which Taunton Town fielded a substitute player who was not registered with the Southern League in a match at Shortwood United in Division One South & West, the club was charged with fielding an ineligible player in accordance with league rules.
“Following consideration of correspondence from the club, the Southern League Board found the club guilty, fined and deducted the three points gained from the match. The club subsequently appealed the decision to the FA, which was heard on Monday 31 October 2016.
“The result of the said appeal hearing was communicated by the FA in correspondence stating: ‘The league had acted in accordance with the competition rules for such a breach. The sanction imposed by the league on the club was reasonable and therefore, the ground of appeal that the decision was excessive is dismissed’.”
