Wycombe Wanderers manager Gareth Ainsworth believes members of his squad will go on to play in the Championship later in their careers.

The Blues lost 2-0 against Championship side Leeds United at Adams Park in a friendly on Friday night with the Yorkshire side showing the level required to play in the second tier of English football.

While the game was mainly used as a fitness exercise Ainsworth feels some members of his squad were given the ideal chance to test themselves at a level he feels they are capable of playing at.

He said: “Tonight was of course about getting match fitness and keeping performance levels high. It was also about showing the boys that Championship level football is attainable for them.

“I believe that some of my players will go on and play in the Championship, so it was a good standard set for them tonight to see what it takes to play in that league.”

Ainsworth has experience of what it takes to play in the division having appeared over 100 times in the Championship for QPR between 2004 and 2010.

He paid particular attention to the performances of deputy goalkeeper Alex Lynch, returning centre-back Anthony Stewart and the attacking endeavour of Ryan Sellers and now admits to having selection problems.

Ainsworth elaborated on his selection headache: “They are good problems to have and I feel that we have a really good squad, and if we play like we did tonight in League Two we will get plenty of points this season.”

The Blues coped admirably with the Leeds attack and showed promising signs going forward but were ultimately undone by the visitor’s ruthlessness in front of goal.

Ainsworth claimed it was the difference between the two sides in a game that he felt Wanderers were punished for minor mistakes in a manner they may not have been against a League Two side.

It is that sort of clinical nature that his squad will have to develop themselves if they are to fulfil the prediction of their manager and reach the level showcased by United on Friday.