GARETH Ainsworth admits he's surprised at how quickly his plan has come together after Wanderers hit the top of League Two this week.

Their seventh victory of the campaign at Morecambe on Saturday ensured Blues hit the summit of the division for the first time in 2,069 days.

It's a stark contrast to a mere six months ago when Wanderers were scratching around at the wrong end of the table, avoiding relegation on goal difference on the final day of the season.

That prompted Ainsworth to rip things up and start all over again, bringing in almost an entirely new squad.

And any fears the new faces would take time to get to know each other have been firmly blown out of the water, with the players showing a remarkable level of consistency since day one.

Ainsworth said he was surprised at the speed at which everything had fallen into place - but added his squad were reaping the rewards for their hard work.

He said: "We've got a great, honest, hard working group of players. They only have to look around them and the staff behind the scenes to realise that's what we do here now.

"It's a team effort. The message we keep putting out is it's about hard work and togetherness and being honest.

"They have gelled surprisingly quickly. Usually you have a teething period but from that first game at Newport away, they clicked very well. We've changed the team and the shape now and again and they seem to have adapted really well. If you put the hard work in, you reap the benefit of it.

"A lot of people will see other teams and new players coming in - they always have the settling-in period. We seem to have got through that very quickly.

"Maybe that's because we've got a smaller group than must - you don't have to get to know too many people at Wycombe anymore because we are a very small, slim squad. All these things play a part and I think the characters have been really important.

"They have done really well to be consistent and keep the levels they are performing at."