CORNWALL'S Josh Hartshorne has been banned for three matches and fined £40 following his red card against York Acorn earlier this month.

The prop, who earned Cornwall's Players' Player of the Year in 2022, was dismissed in the 60th minute of the sides' Betfred Challenge Cup Third Round tie earlier this month after throwing a punch in the aftermath of one of a number of second-half confrontations.

He was subsequently handed a Grade E punching charge by the RFL for the action, deemed by its Match Review Panel as "sustained and/or violent".

READ NEXT:

His case was automatically referred to a tribunal, which met last night (Wednesday), to determine the length of his ban.

Grade E charges usually carry a suspension of four to six matches, but in mitigation, Cornwall believe that they presented a "detailed, balanced and factual case surrounding the incident," resulting in a lower three-game suspension.

Hartshorne will now miss Cornwall's opening three Betfred League One fixtures against Keighley Cougars, North Wales Crusaders and Oldham.

Former Leeds Rhinos utility Coby Nichol, who was sin-binned following a high tackle in the closing, was also handed a Grade B charge and a £40 fine.

However, action against the sin-bins for both Cornwall's Liam Whitton and Morgan Punchard were dismissed, as were those dished out to Acorn pair Matt Chilton and Eddie Prescott.

Man of the Match Jack Byrnes crossed for a brace of tries, whilst young hooker Alfie Crawford also found the whitewash for Josh Mortimer's side as they ran out 18-10 victors on the South Coast.

They will now welcome fellow NCL outfit Wath Brow Hornets on Saturday (2pm), for a place in the competition's Fifth Round.