NEWPORT County defender Ryan Inniss has been suspended for five matches by the Football Association after his red card in the Leasing.com Trophy defeat to West Ham U21s.

Crystal Palace loanee Inniss misses tomorrow’s trip to Northampton Town and the following four fixtures against Macclesfield Town, Exeter City, Swindon Town and Carlisle United.

Inniss, 24, was sent off near the end of County’s 5-4 loss to the Hammers on September 4, a dismissal that would normally bring about an automatic three-game ban.

However, an allegation of biting surfaced after the final whistle and Inniss was subsequently issued with a charge of violent conduct by the governing body.

In a statement, County said Inniss had admitted a breach of FA Rule E3(1) and suspended for the next five competitive first-team matches by an independent regulatory commission.

The FA stated: "The members of the commission ordered that the standard punishment of a three-match suspension in this instance be set aside and replaced with a five-match suspension."

When charging Inniss with violent conduct, the FA had said: “It is alleged that his behaviour in or around the 90th minute constitutes violent conduct, in circumstances where the standard punishment that would otherwise apply is clearly insufficient.”