Nobody is buying Joey Barton’s defence of his behaviour against Lincoln

Non-league Lincoln knocked Premier League side Burnley out of the FA Cup but all anybody could talk about was Joey Barton.

Barton, as he has been known to do, stole all the headlines thanks to an incident that took place during Saturday's early kick-off at Turf Moor. The controversial midfielder, who re-signed with Burnley until the end of the season, was tasked with marking Lincoln centre-forward Matt Rhead for set pieces. Barton earned plenty of contempt when he appeared to stamp backwards and dig his studs into Rhead's foot before hitting the deck under very little contact, seemingly in an attempt to get the striker sent off. https://twitter.com/gabe_roche03/status/832952630171336704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Barton was booked later on in the game for his role in a skirmish and he didn't take long to respond to the waves of online criticism as he took to Twitter in the moments immediately following the defeat. This is how Barton attempted to explain his actions... https://twitter.com/Joey7Barton/status/832975255459287040 https://twitter.com/Joey7Barton/status/832975660163403777 https://twitter.com/Joey7Barton/status/832975905563754496 https://twitter.com/Joey7Barton/status/832976178197721088 Unsurprisingly, that reasoning wasn't well received by more sceptical Twitter users. https://twitter.com/davidpreece12/status/832979272067379202

.@Joey7Barton pic.twitter.com/8xPeH7ZTZs

— Weekend Football (@weekendfootball) February 18, 2017

.@Joey7Barton pic.twitter.com/cuawjRyn4G

— SlashFootball (@slashfootball) February 18, 2017

@Joey7Barton Bullshit. You're a cheat.

— Colm (@cohcfc) February 18, 2017

@Joey7Barton pic.twitter.com/CTiBI5yTAP

— Tony (@TmLFC1988) February 18, 2017

@Joey7Barton ??? what a crock of shite..you ducked under his arm and feigned he hit you in the face,after stamping on his foot #embarrassing

— TweetyMcTweetface (@jose_wonderboy1) February 18, 2017

@Joey7Barton pic.twitter.com/XwWkS9lDhk

— Ste Rowen (@sterowen) February 18, 2017

@Joey7Barton pic.twitter.com/4q143Eo7gE

— ben (@thebenprocter) February 18, 2017

.@Joey7Barton yes Joey, we believe you pic.twitter.com/ZDVQoHNwpR

— Andy Medcalf (@AndyMedcalf) February 18, 2017

@Joey7Barton pic.twitter.com/L5tszudTJW

— Freddie Shires (@fshires) February 18, 2017

@Joey7Barton pic.twitter.com/7F2hq5fKKu

— NUFC Network (@NUFC_Network) February 18, 2017