Carlisle United striker John-Kymani Gordon has today been hit with a three-match ban.

It follows retrospective action following an incident in the Blues' 1-0 win at Barrow last Saturday.

Crystal Palace loan striker Gordon was found to have committed violent conduct in an incident in the 27th minute.

It came as the Blues player tussled with Barrow defender Sam McClelland as they chased the ball in the home team's half.

Gordon appeared to throw his arm back as he tried to shrug off the defender.

Barrow boss Pete Wild, after the game, claimed it was a "forearm smash" which ref James Bell had not spotted at the time.

Gordon, 20, denied the retrospective charge but will now miss the last two games of the season - and a play-off semi-final first leg should Carlisle be involved.

A Blues statement today said: "We can confirm that striker John-Kymani Gordon has been suspended for three matches following the EFL League Two fixture against Barrow on Saturday 22 April.

"The forward denied that his behaviour during the 27th minute, in an incident not seen by match officials but caught on video, constitutes violent conduct.

"However, the suspension was subsequently imposed by an Independent Regulatory Commission."

Footage of the incident shows that referee Bell was close to the incident at the time and blew shortly after McClelland went down.

The Football Association's statement, though, today maintained Bell "had not seen" the incident.

Wild, in post-match interviews with BBC Cumbria, had said: “It’s a forearm smash from Gordon into his face.

“The referee [James Bell] has assured me there will be retrospective action taken against Gordon and rightly so, you can’t go around smashing people in the face.

“He shouldn’t be on the pitch. As arrogant as the referee wanted to be – and he told me at half-time that he knows how to referee a football match…well, if you do, you’ve got to send him off.”

Carlisle manager Paul Simpson said he had not seen the incident and, speaking after the game, added: “I know Barrow were moaning about it but to be honest with you they were moaning about everything.

“Jon Mellish tells me he got stamped on in the first half as well, so maybe they’ll do some retrospective action on that as well. I really don’t know."