Newcastle admit FA charge over Sunderland incident

Newcastle have accepted a Football Association charge of failing to control their players during Sunday’s eventful derby defeat at Sunderland.

However, the Magpies have asked for their case to be re-assessed after submitting mitigation over the incident, which surrounded captain Fabricio Coloccini’s dismissal by referee Robert Madley in first-half injury time after he had a penalty awarded against him.

A club statement said: “Newcastle United have admitted a charge of failing to control their players in last weekend’s Tyne-Wear derby defeat at Sunderland.”

BREAKING: #NUFC admit @FA charge but ask for reassessment https://t.co/CQULdae7zY pic.twitter.com/SevUfvzf3B

— Newcastle United (@NUFC) October 30, 2015

"The charge relates to the players' reaction to the match official's decision, which saw Sunderland awarded a penalty and captain Fabricio Coloccini issued with a red card, which has since been rescinded.

“The club has admitted the charge, but has submitted an application for it to be re-assessed due to mitigating circumstances.”

Coloccini was sent off for a challenge which came seconds after Madley had opted not to award his team a penalty against Lee Cattermole at the other end as the first half of the game at the Stadium of Light drew to a close.

He barged striker Steven Fletcher to the ground as the pair chased a Jermain Defoe through-ball and the official pointed straight to the spot.

The defender and several of his team-mates surrounded Madley to argue his case, but Coloccini’s misery was compounded when the referee produced a red card.

Adam Johnson converted the resulting spot-kick and a game the Magpies had dominated turned on its head, with the Black Cats eventually running out 3-0 winners.

Coloccini appealed against the dismissal and was successful, although head coach Steve McClaren admitted on Friday that simply added to his misery.

He said: “It makes it even worse because we felt at the time – I will still debate the penalty – that it definitely wasn’t a goalscoring opportunity. The ball was in (Newcastle goalkeeper) Rob Elliot’s hands.

“It spoilt the game, really – obviously not for Sunderland, but it really spoilt it for us in terms of being a football match.”