A MAN has been fined and handed a football banning order after spitting at a player during a match.

On December 4, Accrington Stanley FC and Fleetwood Town FC played a League One match at the Wham Stadium.

During the second half, a fan from the away end spat at an Accrington Stanley player as he was taking a throw-in.

The offence was seen by stewards and the match referee, with the fan being detained and arrested.

Lennie Lake, 18, of Hamlet Road, Fleetwood, was given summons to appear at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

He had pleaded guilty to assault by beating of Stanley's 6ft 5in, 23-year-old, centre back Ross Sykes, at a Lancashire Youth Court hearing on April 11.

In court on May 10, he was handed a three-year football banning ordder and given a fine of £184.

Lake, who was 17 at the time of the offence, was also ordered to pay costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £34.