PHC Zebras have lost an appeal against captain Marco Warren’s suspension, which rules him out of the FA Cup Final.

The influential midfielder received an automatic one-game suspension after picking up a third yellow card in PHC’s Premier Division title-clinching triumph over Boulevard at PHC Field on March 19.

Warren was booked after colliding with Boulevard goalkeeper Azir Harvey when challenging for a loose ball in the box in the closing moments of the match, which the home team won 9-0 to seal the title in front of their own fans.

PHC submitted an appeal to Bermuda Football Association’s appeals committee in an attempt to have the yellow card overturned and enable Warren to be available for Sunday’s final against North Village at Flora Duffy Stadium.

“We put in an appeal as at any other time we would do and, unfortunately due to circumstances with regards to refereeing, we were not successful this time, so we move on,” Michael Trott, the PHC president, told The Royal Gazette.

PHC will now be without the services of last season’s Premier Division MVP as they bid to capture a second Triple Crown, and their first in 52 years, having already won the league and Friendship Trophy this season.

“I guess you can say it’s a slight setback because we would prefer to have him available,” Trott said. “But right now he’s not available so we move on and do the best we can with what we have.”

The FA Cup Final will be the second meeting between PHC and North Village in the final of that competition in six years and fourth overall, with Zebras having won the prestigious competition a record 11 times, with their previous triumph coming against Village during the 2016-17 campaign.

Village and Somerset Trojans are tied for the second-most wins in the competition with nine titles each.