Wellington Phoenix defender Manny Muscat has been handed a two-game ban for his forearm strike on Central Coast forward Roy O'Donovan last week.
The A-League's match review panel determined Muscat was guilty of "assault on a player" off the ball, moments before O'Donovan retaliated with a 58th minute headbutt in the Mariners' 3-1 win in Gosford.
O'Donovan apologised for the headbutt, saying he was "embarrassed" it had taken the shine off his side's first win in 11 weeks.
But the striker insisted Muscat had provoked him and should "get an Oscar" for going down "like a movie star".
O'Donovan has been referred straight to a disciplinary committee meeting on Wednesday afternoon.
