Fleetwood Town win appeal to get Ched Evans' red card from 2-1 defeat at Bristol Rovers overturned

With the score at 1-1 on Saturday, Evans was sent off for alleged violent conduct in the 55th minute after he tangled with Rovers' Tom Lockyer.

James Clarke popped up in the last minute of the game to win it for Rovers with Fleetwood boss Joey Barton sent off for dissent in the aftermath.

Although Town are not appealing that decision by referee Brett Huxtable, Barton will be in the dugout on Wednesday as Fleetwood wait for the FA to formally charge him.

Evans was set to face a three game suspension but now that Town have won their appeal he will be in contention for the Boxing Day clash with Doncaster.

And Barton was glad that common sense prevailed.

He said: “We are glad to see common sense prevail with the removal of Ched’s red card and subsequent suspension.

“The decision put us at a serious disadvantage for the majority of the second half and at the time we felt like we were harshly treated.

”This appeal hearing proves that we were right.”

Speaking at the weekend Barton said of the red card: "The mind boggles.

"The first half, any slight contact between Ched and their centre-half, Ched was penalised.

"He is a good honest lad and he works hard.

"Two lads go and compete for the ball; that is never, ever, a red card.

"It is an incredibly unjust decision.

"Not only did we lose the game but we could have lost a key player for a number of games and that is just wrong."