NEWPORT County AFC manager Warren Feeney has been handed a two-match touchline ban following the Exiles controversial defeat at Luton Town on August 16.

Assistant manager Andy Todd will be in charge at Hartlepool United this afternoon with Feeney and first team coach Sean McCarthy both banned for their reaction to Luton's late penalty winner at Kenilworth Road.

A statement from the club reads: "Manager Warren Fenney will serve a two-match touchline suspension, after a FA hearing ruled the sanction for the incident relating to a FA misconduct charge during our fixture against Luton.

"The FA committee also upheld a FA misconduct charge in relation to the players surrounding the match officials in stoppage time during the same match, with the club receiving a fine for this offence."

According to the FA website, Feeney and McCarthy both admitted to a breach of FA Rule E3 – using abusive and/or insulting words towards the match officials.

McCarthy received the standard penalty - a one match touchline suspension and a £500 fine.

Feeney admitted the charge but the FA website stated: "However The FA does not accept Mr Feeney’s response as an unequivocal admission of the charge."

A paper hearing was requested and Feeney has now received a two-match touchline ban having previously been hit with a one-game ban for a similar incident at Leyton Orient in January.

The club as a whole was also found to be in breach of FA Rule E20 (a) with the charge sheet reading: "It is alleged that in or around the 93rd minute of the fixture, Newport County AFC failed to ensure that its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion."