Middlesbrough chief executive Keith Lamb has launched a scathing attack on the Football Association after it rejected Jeremie Aliadiere's appeal against his sending off at Liverpool.

Referee Lee Mason dismissed Aliadiere for slapping Javier Mascherano - who raised his hands to the Frenchman - but let the Liverpool midfielder off with a warning.

Boro appealed, but the FA's regulatory commission rejected the claim and extended the ban by another match to four games as they claimed the decision to object to the original sending off was branded as 'frivolous'.

The Teesside club, though, have hit back and Lamb has described the FA's decision as a 'travesty of justice' and insisted they were being treated different as they were not one of the 'big boys'.