Oxford United striker Dave Kitson has branded Mark Brown as the 'worst referee that he has ever seen' following his performance in Saturday's 1-0 loss to Bristol Rovers.

Kitson has heavily criticised the official's decision to award Rovers a penalty, and also slammed his behaviour towards U's winger Alfie Potter, who was stretchered off with a serious ankle injury.

"He was horrific, horrendous, possibly worst referee I have ever had in my career," Kitson told BBC Radio Oxford. "We have an incident where Alfie Potter is lying on the floor with his leg in a brace and he's asking the referee about the challenge and the referee is swearing at him, telling him to shut up and warning him he will send him off if he doesn't.

"The lad is lying there with tears in his eyes with his leg in a brace and he cannot even talk to the referee. He is probably the most arrogant man I have ever come across on the pitch in my life.

"We'd like some decisions from referees. The foul for the penalty was two yards out the box. The referee never communicated with the linesman. I've never seen anything like it in my life, I just don't know why I bother."

Former Reading and Sheffield United forward Kitson, 33, joined Oxford this summer and has picked up seven yellow cards and a red in his 12 games, during which he has found the net just once.