Gareth Ainsworth believes Wycombe Wanderers were denied a clear penalty during their 1-0 League Two defeat to Carlisle United.

The Blues boss was convinced Southampton loanee Dominic Gape was tripped in the area late on at Brunton Park as Wanderers chased an equaliser.

Referee, Seb Stockbridge, waved passionate appeals from both staff and players away and Ainsworth was left incensed by the decision.

“We deserved something today and are not getting the rub of the green. I cannot for the life of me believe he has not given a penalty with eight minutes to go,” Ainsworth said.

“It is a definite trip on Dominic Gape and he is adamant he has been tripped. Why hasn’t he booked him if he thinks he has dived?

“It is just a shambles at the end there from my point of view, but my point of view doesn’t count it is the ref on the pitch and he has got to give something.”

Gape’s belief that he should have been given a penalty after the incident was reiterated by Ainsworth after what he described as a clash of legs brought him down.

The Blues boss backed his player’s account of events and insisted a spot kick had to be awarded whether the contact was intentional or otherwise.

“I believe my player. It is Dominic Gape’s second or third game and he is through on goal, he is going to have a shot he is not going to go down,” he said.

“If there is a clip it is a penalty even if the Carlisle player hasn’t meant it.”

Wanderers were unfortunate not to take anything from the game after both Matt Bloomfield and Scott Kashket hit the post.

The respective misses were further evidence of luck deserting the Chairboys, but they didn’t help themselves with some sloppy defending in the build up to Miller’s winner.

A simple pass over the top allowed the forward to break Wycombe’s offside trap, and Ainsworth was far from pleased with his defence.

He said: “The goal is sloppy and there is an error in there which I keep within the dressing room and we will put right.

“We have some young boys in the team who are going to make errors, but we can’t keep doing it at times like that and it has cost us.”

Wanderers will now look to lift themselves in time for the visit of Crewe to Adams Park on Tuesday night.