Carlisle United have defended their decision to throw out a supporter who vented his anger at the Blues' board at their bad-tempered final home game of the season.

The supporter was forcibly removed from the Paddock terrace by police and safety staff about 15 minutes after he had launched into a tirade against the club's owners.

Some fans were unhappy at the supporter's treatment at the 2-0 defeat to Oxford.

The controversial incident was followed by songs from sections of the crowd including "Sack the board," "Where is our billionaire?," "Get out of our club," and "We want Nixon out," the latter referring to owner and director John Nixon.

The Blues have insisted the man was asked to leave after refusing to "tone down" the "foul and abusive language" they say he was aiming at members of the board.

Police and stewards moved in after studying video footage during the half-time interval, with director Steven Pattison understood to have been involved in the investigation.

United media officer Andy Hall spoke on behalf of the club's safety staff when invited to comment by the News & Star .

He said: "Our ground safety staff confirmed an individual was identified as using foul and abusive words outside what you would normally expect to hear at a football stadium.

"It was monitored on camera to get a feel of what was going on. They identified that it was aggressive, they sent staff down there with police in attendance to speak to the individual in the hope that he would tone it down a bit.

"It was clear he wasn't going to calm down, and they told him if he carried on he would be removed from the stadium.

"It then became obvious he wasn't going to leave of his own accord, as the restraining techniques used demonstrated. The police have to be there if those methods are deemed necessary to get people out of the ground."

The flashpoints came as one of Brunton Park's biggest crowds of the season saw Keith Curle's side beaten by Michael Appleton's promotion-chasers.

A travelling crowd of 2,283 in the 6,948 attendance saw Chris Maguire's penalty and a Liam Sercombe effort account for the 12th-placed Blues.

Curle said the anti-board chants were "not nice to hear" but said his focus was on improving the team this summer in order to lift supporters' spirits.

"It does affect you, but part and parcel of my job is making sure the focus is on the football pitch, and making sure supporters' focus is as well," the manager said.

"I know I need to bring in better quality which will get us better results."

After the game the Carlisle United Official Supporters' Club confirmed they are set for talks tomorrow with Nixon and chairman Andrew Jenkins regarding their £2 million investment offer in partnership with local businessmen.

Striker Charlie Wyke limped off late in the game with an ankle injury while Curle said Patrick Brough made his first start since November after Macaulay Gillesphey (dead leg) failed a late fitness test.