Lyon escapes ban, Brough gets two weeks

St Helens? Australian centre Jamie Lyon is free to play in Saturday?s Powergen Challenge Cup semi-final against Hull KR after avoiding suspension.

The 24-year-old reigning Super League Man of Steel was sent off - for the first time in his career - for a late tackle on Leeds Rhinos scrum-half Rob Burrow 12 minutes from the end of Saints? 18-14 win at Headingley on Saturday.

He was found guilty of the offence when he appeared in front of the Rugby League?s disciplinary committee in Leeds on Tuesday evening, but the panel decided the dismissal was sufficient punishment.

The news will be a big relief to St Helens coach Daniel Anderson, who believes the player was unlucky to be shown a red card while the stigma of a first-ever sending-off will live with him for the rest of his career.

?He had never even been given a yellow card in his entire career,? said Anderson.

?It was not malicious, he didn?t raise his elbow, but it was a dumb play, something out of character.

?The dismissal was sufficient enough penalty for a genuinely honest and clean player. When you are sent off, it?s attached to your record as a player.

?He can never say when he leaves the game that he was never sent off and that?s a fairly substantial stigma.?

Meanwhile, Castleford Tigers scrum-half Danny Brough will miss his side?s crucial derby with Wakefield after being handed a two-match ban.

The former Hull FC half-back has been suspended for two matches and fined ?400 following his sending-off in Sunday?s 34-10 defeat at Huddersfield Giants for dissent.

He will begin his ban in the engage Super League clash with the Wildcats at The Jungle on Saturday week.

Team-mate Danny Sculthorpe, who was placed on report and later order to appear before the disciplinary committee, was also fined ?400 after being found guilty of a careless high tackle, but avoided a suspension.

Source: superleague.co.uk