Joss Labadie: Torquay midfielder handed 10-game ban for biting

Torquay midfielder Joss Labadie has been banned for 10 games and fined £2,000 after the Football Association found him guilty of biting an opponent.

The incident occurred in the Gulls' 3-1 loss against Chesterfield, but Labadie was not punished during the game.

Labadie's ban is the same as that given to Liverpool striker Luis Suarez for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic last season.

Torquay say they are considering whether to appeal.

Chesterfield declined to make an official complaint, but Spireites player Ollie Banks made allegations on Twitter that he had been bitten during the game.

Speaking last week, Gulls boss Chris Hargreaves said he felt Labadie should not have been charged.

"It's a denial from the club and from myself of any wrongdoing," Hargreaves told BBC Radio Devon.

"From what I've seen, I don't know how they can get to that conclusion."

Labadie, 23, was signed from Notts County in January and scored the winner in his side's 2-1 win over Rochdale on Tuesday.

Torquay are bottom of League Two, seven points adrift of safety with 11 games of the season to go.

More to follow.