Oxford United's ticketing arrangements came under fire after hundreds of fans missed out on Arsenal FA Cup tickets -- because they had watched the team play.

The remaining 2,500 tickets for the third round tie on January 4, were sold within three hours of going on sale at the Kassam Stadium on December 21.

But many fans who had queued up in the rain after watching United draw 2-2 with Exeter missed out on a ticket for Highbury.

An announcement was made at 7.40pm that no more tickets were left -- and angry supporters besieged the club with complaints.

Many said genuine fans missed out on tickets because they wanted to watch an important league game, while others, having got their ticket stub from the match, started queuing long before the FA Cup tickets went on sale.

Dawn Wylie, United's ticket office supervisor, estimated between 300 and 400 people were queuing for tickets at the start of the game.

The club apologised to supporters who missed out on tickets, but a decision by the club not to accept a further 1,000 tickets from Arsenal was attacked by fans.

Edward Gilkes, 20, said: "Throughout the second half, people were leaving the ground. There were three goals near the end so they missed all the action.

"But the people who left early were rewarded with tickets. I don't see why the ticket sale couldn't have been left until Monday."

Mr Gilkes, of Park Lane, Appleton, said: "A lot of people were getting really annoyed and shouting about the 1,000 extra tickets that were turned down."

Ben Breaker, 21, of Pottle Close, Oxford, also missed out. He said: "It was a mess. I can't believe that anyone who saw the whole game got a ticket."

United secretary Mick Brown said: "If we'd put them on sale on Monday, people would have been up in arms at having to travel to Oxford when they have to work.

"As for the extra 1,000 tickets, I had to make a split-second decision and tell Arsenal on the spot. At that time we had only sold 2,000."

Robert Gildea, of Divinity Road, Oxford, who had taken his wife and four children to the match, said: "I left to queue at 4.30pm and consequently missed two United goals and the penalty.

"If United want to retain the loyalty of the fans they need to do a lot better than total incompetence in organising events like this and treating their supporters with total contempt."

He said the ticketing had been "a scandal from beginning to end".