Gareth Ainsworth has defended the tactics used by his Wycombe Wanderers side after they were criticised during the 1-1 draw against AFC Wimbledon on Saturday.

In a feisty encounter the home crowd regularly accused Wycombe’s players of diving or fouling and Dons boss Neal Ardley also implied underhand tactics had been employed.

However, Ainsworth suggested that rather than playing in a sinister fashion his side had simply been fully committed to winning a close encounter.

“If fans want to make noise because we are frustrating teams then we will do that and we will work and give everything to win the game, absolutely everything,” an impassioned Ainsworth explained.

“If it is a tactic to make sure your boys give everything to win the game then so be it, but we don’t work on anything sinister.

“I don’t know what kind of tactics people are saying, or starting to say we use but if people foul us we are going to be given fouls.”

The Blues boss was clearly disappointed by the accusation that his side had deliberately set out to con referee Phil Gibbs who in truth had struggled to control a full blooded affair from the outset. He failed to spot what many of the Wanderers’ players and staff felt was a foul on Matt Ingram in the lead up to Wimbledon’s leveller and also missed a strong penalty shout from the hosts at the close.

Much of the crowd’s ire was directed at midfielder Luke O’Nien who along with being booked for a stray elbow was also involved in a number of challenges where he appeared to go down easily.

Ainsworth was quick to defend the 21-year-old, who has been an integral part of his side since arriving this summer, and suggested that the fouls were genuine and O’Nien’s greater quality means he gets fouled more regularly.

He said: “I thought 95% of the fouls on Luke O’Nien were genuine and he is that much quicker and reads things that much quicker in midfield that he frustrates people.”