Several dozen angry Hatters were locked out of the away end last night after Luton Town underestimated their travelling support and staff at the Abbey were taken by surprise.

The official away support inside the ground is recorded at 2,152 but late arriving Luton fans were still queuing outside as the game kicked-off and the gates were shut before half-time for safety reasons. Although there was still some space remaining on the terrace there was congestion in one part despite repeated appeals for supporters to move along and make room for those still outside.

Club secretary Andrew Pincher told the Cambridge Evening News, "Unfortunately too many people left it late to arrive, and we were swamped in an area of the ground where we don't have many turnstiles.

"We could have made it all-ticket for Luton fans, but their following was much more than we were led to believe by the club, who estimated that around 1,300 would be making the trip - and that was after revising the figure from seven or eight hundred."

On a Luton web site, one angry Hatter wrote, "Once again Luton Town Football Club totally underestimate the level of support that we give the team. Anyone in the know knew that 2000+ would turn up."

When the Abbey Stadium cannot cope with the following of another second division club it must surely add weight to Cambridge United's need to redevelop the ground? If you have any comment to make on this matter, please share your thoughts on the message board.