Wanderers manager Gareth Ainsworth insists he would be “stupid” to set his team out to defend their one goal lead ahead of the play-off semi-final second leg against Plymouth.

A polished away performance had put Blues fully in control of the tie at 3-0 up before Argyle hit back with a brace of late goals to leave the contest nicely set-up for Thursday’s second leg at Adams Park.

Ainsworth has championed an attacking brand of football on Wycombe’s way to the play-offs and the 42-year-old says his approach is not about to change.

He said: “My whole season has been built on going forward, playing attacking, expansive football. We’ve also defended well and it’s not as though we’re going to change our approach totally.

“We’d be stupid to try and defend and hold onto a 1-0 lead. If you’ve done something all season and it’s been relatively successful keep doing it and keep turning the screw on teams.

“We’ve done sensationally to be where we are and no one in their wildest dreams thought we could achieve this. We’ll give it a go and my philosophy will always be entertaining, attacking football, but doesn’t mean I don’t work hard on my defence and work hard to shut things out at the other end.

“Results, clean sheets and goals against have proved I do and having two of the best young centre backs around proves that we do work hard on our defending. I’d be stupid to go out and defend for 90 minutes against a team like Plymouth.”

Plymouth make the journey to Buckinghamshire having already triumphed at Adams Park once before this season – a 2-0 win back in February – and the Wycombe boss believes John Sheridan’s men are one of the best teams he has seen on home turf.

Whatever happens on Thursday night it will be Wanderers’ last home game of the campaign, but Ainsworth is hopeful there will be one more match to play on May 23.

“You look at the game last night (Monday) (Swindon 5-5 Sheffield United) and the play-offs can throw up amazing results,” he said.

“I’m not sure my nerves would stand that one but I want a Wycombe result and I want us to the ultimate prize which would be the final of the play-offs. We’ll approach the game as we approach most games; there won’t be anything different.

“There might be a slightly different approach, mentally, as we did down there. It’s a night game at home and we put the jinx to bed against Exeter which was great, so now we’ve got the chance to prove that wasn’t a one off. It will be tough, there’s a lot riding on it and everyone knows that.”

Plymouth’s late fight back at Home Park revived a tie which had looked to be all over after 85 minutes and the Blues boss wouldn’t rule out more twists on Thursday night.

He said: “It’s a mouth-watering tie. It was a fantastic result for us down there and it’s great to have a one goal advantage going into the game at home, but Plymouth did us earlier in the season so I’m well aware of that as well.

“I’m also well aware of how they finished the game on Saturday, so it’s going to be tough. If we play like I know we can then we’ll be in with a chance.”