Canning not happy with Garcia Tena suspension

Hamilton boss Martin Canning has hit out at the rules which will see defender Jesus Garcia Tena handed a three-match Premiership ban after being sent off in a youth match.

The Spanish defender was hoping to return to the Accies line-up in Saturday's match with Inverness after missing last weekend's Lanarkshire derby defeat to Motherwell as a result of a previous suspension.

But he is now set for an even longer stint in the stands after receiving a straight red card for a foul on Rangers teenager David Brownlie during an under-20s development match on Tuesday.

Under Scottish Professional Football League rules, though, Tena will have to serve his punishment at first-team level.

And the severity of the punishment has also been increased to three matches because it was the 25-year-old's second red card of the campaign after being sent off during January's draw with Hearts. Canning has not given up hope of having the ban overturned on appeal but criticised the SPFL guidelines.

He said: "We are going to appeal it as it wasn't a bad tackle from big 'Zeus'.

The lad came running through and 'Zeus' has come sliding in to win the tackle. But the referee thought it was serious foul play and has sent him off.

"However, we tape all our youth matches and after watching the video back we don't feel it was a dangerous challenge, so it's a sore one to potentially now lose him for three games.

"I don't think suspensions handed out at under-20s level should carry into first-team games. My understanding of it is that if you are sent off in a development game, you serve your ban at whatever level you play most of your games at.

"That seems harsh to me as we're just trying to get the first-team guys games so they can stay sharp and up to speed.

"Don't get me wrong, if it is a clear sending off when you do something silly like punch someone, you need to take your medicine.

"But when it is just for a tackle, then to have a punishment that could affect you at first-team level and have consequences for us as club, that is disappointing.''