Leyton Orient midfielder Liam Kelly has been handed an unprecedented six-match ban by the Football Association for pushing a ball boy during Tuesday night's 3-2 win at Plymouth Argyle.

Kelly was charged on Wednesday with violent conduct after he was clearly seen shoving an Argyle ball boy in the latter stages of the game at Home Park, but appealed the decision earlier today.

However, English football's governing body have now doubled their standard punishment given out for the offence and banned the Scotsman with immediate effect, a decision which will keep him out of action until March 18.

Kelly had only been back in the Orient line-up since the start of February following four months out with injury, and his loss is likely to be a blow to manager Danny Webb and the club's quest for League 2 survival.

The FA said in a statement the severity of Kelly's offence meant the standard penalty of a three-match ban would be "insufficient".

However, this would appear to contradict a precedent the association set when taking no further action against Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard following a similar, if not more serious incident, during a League Cup semi-final with Swansea back in 2013.