HIBERNIAN have launched an appeal after head coach Neil Lennon was hit with a massive five-match ban for 'acts of violence against the referee' in last month's Europa League clash with Brondby.

Lennon was sent to the stand in his first competitive outing as Easter Road boss after clashing with Spanish whistler Juan Martínez Munuera during the first-leg 1-0 defeat in Edinburgh.

Lennon later branded the officials' decision to rule out a 'perfectly legitimate' Jason Cummings strike 'pathetic' and returned to the theme after his side exited the tournament on penalty kicks following a second-leg victory in Denmark.

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The former Celtic boss had to sit in the stands for that encounter in Copenhagen after being served with an initial one match suspension and later said: "If it hadn't been for poor refereeing in the first leg, we wouldn't have had to go to extra-time and penalties because we would have been through."

At a meeting yesterday of UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB), Lennon was accused of breaching Article 11 (2) of the governing body's disciplinary regulations, with the committee deciding to mete out a five-game suspension.

However, Hibs last night vowed to fight the censure.

A statement read: "Hibernian are aware of the sanction imposed by UEFA on head coach Neil Lennon and are in the process of appealing the suspension.

"The club will be making no further comment at this stage."