LENNON AND DUFFY HIT BY SFA CHARGES

THE Scottish Football Association have charged Neil Lennon and Jim Duffy with misconduct following last week’s furious brawl at Easter Road.

Hibernian boss Lennon and his Morton counterpart face touchline bans after the SFA’s compliance officer last night issued both men with a notice of complaint.

Lennon has been charged with three separate counts of acting in an aggressive manner to Duffy, the match officials and Kudus Oyenuga, after the Morton striker’s late tackle on Jordon Forster sparked ugly scenes.

Duffy, along with his assistant Craig McPherson, has been charged with the same offence towards Lennon, while both

clubs were also issued with a notice of complaint. All parties have until April 11 to respond to the charges, with the hearings set to take place on April 20. But Lennon could face a nervous wait to discover the true cost of his actions. understands that, if the disciplinary panel deem his behaviour severe enough to warrant an immediate suspension, the Hibs manager could then miss his side’s Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen at Hampden just two days later on April 22. In the closing stages of an otherwise uneventful 0-0 draw last week, a late challenge from Oyenuga on Forster led to an almighty melee on the touchline. In the incident, Lennon said that Duffy had challenged him to a ‘square go’ — a claim which the Morton manager later rejected. Referee Nick Walsh sent both men to the stands, while Hibs defender Darren McGregor was also sent off for allegedly headbutting Oyenuga. The Morton striker has since escaped further punishment after it was decided there was insufficient evidence to charge him with simulation. McGregor has appealed his sending off and will have his case heard at Hampden tomorrow. Both clubs are likely to be fined, while, in accordance with the SFA’s sanctions against misconduct, Lennon and Duffy could face anything from the minimum twogame ban to the maximum tengame punishment. The two teams are set to resume hostilities at Cappielow on Saturday in the battle to win promotion.