Gareth Ainsworth was “immensely proud” after his players set a new club record for league points in a season after watching them battle through the pain barrier to draw with AFC Wimbledon on Saturday afternoon.

The Blues boss and his small squad – three of whom left the pitch injured against the Dons – have now accrued 81 points, one more than their previous best in the Football League which was set under the guidance of Gary Waddock in 2011.

That total was enough to get Wanderers promoted that season but, after the stalemate with the Wombles, Ainsworth and his men know they require more after seeing their hopes of sealing the last automatic promotion place taken out of their hands.

Bury can move above the Blues if they win their game in hand against Southend on Tuesday night, but the Wycombe boss said his threadbare squad will fight to the end.

“There were a few players out there who wouldn't have been starting the game if we'd got a bigger squad,” he said.

“We’ve had players carrying injuries and players playing out of position. We wanted three points today towards our promotion push but we've not got them.

“We're still in third place and Bury have still got to catch us, Southend have still got to catch us and there's a big game on Tuesday night that's going to have a big say in our season, never mind theirs, so we're looking forward to listening to that and getting the boys recovered for a mammoth game on Saturday.

“It's been a great season. We want to get promoted and we'll do our best but it's been a great season.”

The 41-year-old admitted during the week that he was contemplating naming himself among the substitutes as the club’s injury list continues to grow, and he watched on in despair as two more players were forced off in the first half.

Matt Bloomfield was taken off after taking a blow to the head and Nico Yennaris landed awkwardly on his neck, while Sam Saunders had to be withdrawn in the second half after he too succumbed to injury.

He said of the on loan Brentford midfielder: “For somebody to come from a Chmpionship team, who are flying high, and play through injury – he was ok to start the game but he was gradually getting worse and worse.

“Sam wanted to play, wanted to be part of it and he’s done fantastically well for me lately, but he was really struggling towards the end when he came off. It’s great to see the boys really pull together and dig deep.

“I’m immensely proud of all of them. Eighty-one points, definitely play-offs, it’s been a great season and I know that we want to get promoted and we’ll do our best.”

While the chances of Ainsworth playing professionally for the first time since April 2013 may have increased after Saturday, he joked that someone else will have to be found to fill the void left in central defence after Aaron Pierre was sent-off for a second bookable offence.

Peter Murphy dropped into the back four after Pierre walked down the tunnel and his suspension for the game against Morecambe next Saturday has given the Blues boss plenty to think about.

“There’s a few rotations we could do,” he said. “Tommy Flecther although he’s very young and inexperienced we have him.

“We have Murphy, who’s played there, there’s different formations we could try and we’ll have a look at it. It will be a great time for all of the players to make a return because there’s no way I can play centre half.

“I’m immensely proud of the effort they’ve put in to have the biggest points total that Wycombe Wanderers has ever had.

“I think everyone should be proud of that and let’s not hide the fact that we’ve got ourselves into the play-offs, we’ve got that points total and we’ve still got this little chance of promotion.”