COLIN NISH admitted he was relieved to escape a touchline ban for his angry comments following last month's derby at Dunfermline.

The Cowdenbeath player/boss was livid with referee Barry Cook during the controversial 2-1 defeat, which was decided in the Pars' favour by a second half Michael Moffat spot kick.

Nish, who started his senior career at East End Park, was sent to the stand during the first half after reacting furiously to a decision not to award Greig Spence a penalty after a challenge with Pars goalkeeper Sean Murdoch.

That first half incident was one of two "stonewall" penalties Nish felt his side were denied, and he was summoned to Hampden last Wednesday after being charged with a breach of disciplinary rule 72 by SFA compliance officer Tony McGlennan for his post-match comments.

The rule states that no official should " criticise the decision(s) and/or performance(s) of any or all match official(s) in such a way as to indicate bias or incompetence on the part of such match official; or (ii) make remarks about such match official(s) which impinge on his character".

After the high-charged game at East End Park, Nish fumed: "You come here to set up a team to play against Dunfermline and then it turns out that you're not playing against them. 

"We had two stonewall penalties in the first half - one of them was the clearest penalty I've ever seen in my life - but he doesn't give it, obviously because there's a big crowd here in favour of Dunfermline."

Following the hearing, during which he admitted the charge, Nish was handed a one-match suspended ban and he said: "I was given a fair hearing and I know why I was there, but I still don't disagree with what I said.

"It's a learning curve but you want to win, and when that becomes harder then you do get emotional because you are passionate about the game. It's very difficult to speak to the press five minutes afterwards but if you'd spoken to me on the Sunday I'd have still said the same because I was still angry about it.

"It's something that I didn't really worry about to be honest. It's done now and I'm happy with the way things have worked out, and now we can move on."