Laryea Kingston's ban reduced

Hearts received some good news today when it was announced that Laryea Kingston's three-match ban is to be reduced to two.

The Black Stars midfielder was given a three-match ban in May for accusing referee Steve

Conroy of racism following his red card in a 1-0 defeat by Aberdeen on March 10.

Kingston was sent off after his second yellow card following a high challenge which broke Barry Nicholson's shoulder.

The 26-year-old was later shown a second red card after being dragged away by team-mates as he remonstrated with Conroy, whose wife is black. He served an automatic two-match ban and soon said he was "extremely sorry" for his

actions, adding at the time: "I must express sincere regret at the comment I made of the referee." But he was given an additional punishment by the SFA's disciplinary committee for using "offensive, insulting and abusive language".

Hearts appealed against the ban, which would have ruled him out of last season's

unsuccessful race to catch Aberdeen for third spot in the SPL.

Kingston was on loan from Russian outfit Terek Grozny at the time but completed a £500,000 move to Tynecastle in June.

The panel was chaired by legal representative Bill Stewart alongside SFA president George Peat and Billy McNeill.

A Hearts spokesman said: "We are grateful for the consideration that was shown by the panel. "The club and the player now consider the matter closed."

Kingston will miss monday's Scottish Premier League opener against Hibernian and another trip to Pittodrie the week after, but can return for the visit of Gretna on August 18.