³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

Preston forward Milutin Osmajic "has accepted" a Football Association charge of violent conduct for biting Blackburn Rovers defender Owen Beck, North End director Peter Ridsdale has said.

The incident followed Beck's sending off in the closing stages of September's goalless Lancashire derby for kicking out at Preston's Duane Holmes.

A melee followed, with Beck, 22, furiously protesting to referee Matthew Donohue that he had been bitten by Osmajic, who received a yellow card.

Television replays appeared to show 25-year-old Osmajic had bitten Beck on his upper back.

Osmajic had until Monday to respond to the charge and Ridsdale told Talksport on Tuesday that the player had "responded within the time frame".

Ridsdale added: "He has accepted the charge that the FA put to him which was that he was seen to bite the opposing player in the game against Blackburn Rovers.

"We've already indicated to the player what we're doing. I want to keep that obviously in-house but you can be assured that that's not something that we condone as a football club and we've taken appropriate action."

Both the FA and Preston declined to comment when approached by the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ.

Blackburn manager John Eustace told ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio Lancashire following the game: "Owen's got a big bite mark on the back of his neck and it's a shame the referee didn't see that."

Luis Suarez, then of Liverpool, received a 10-match ban in 2013 for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic.