DORCHESTER striker Matt Groves spoke of his relief today after winning an appeal against a 35-day ban.

"After several months of worry it is a great weight of my shoulders," said the 24-year-old former Portsmouth attacker after a Dorset FA disciplinary panel over-turned the lengthy suspension which has been hanging over him for more than two months.

It followed the first sending off of his career, for allegedly kicking out after being fouled by a defender in a pre-season friendly at Bournemouth Poppies in August.

The ban, which could have seen him miss as many as six games, was suspended when Groves, scorer of 90 goals in 258 appearances for the Magpies, sought a personal hearing.

After considering the evidence at a meeting at the County FA headquarters in Poole last night the four-man FA committee decided the case against him had not been proved and cancelled out the red card.

Poppies manager, former AFC Bournemouth and Orient midfielder Shaun Brooks - who also had a spell as a player with the Magpies - was among those who gave evidence on Groves' behalf.

The panel also heard from the Sydenhams Wessex League club's defender Paul Cuglietta, Magpies boss Mark Morris, the match referee and the assistant referee who had brought the incident to the official's attention.

After the hearing Groves, who joined the Magpies in 1998 after recovering from a broken leg he suffered while a YTS player at Fratton Park, thanked Brooks and Cuglietta for supporting him at the hearing.

"I would also like to thank my manager, Mark Morris for the support I have received from him and also Dave Martin the club secretary for the professional way he conducted the appeal," he said.