Gareth Ainsworth says he is proud of his Wycombe Wanderers side’s performance after their 2-0 FA Cup third round replay defeat against Aston Villa.

The Blues matched their Premier League opponents for much of the match before goals in the final 15 minutes from Ciaran Clark and Idrissa Gueye sealed the Villa win.

Despite the result, Ainsworth made it clear that he was pleased with what he saw from the Blues throughout the 90 minutes at Villa Park.

“I am extremely proud. We more than matched them for 70 minutes. In the first half we had the better chances and I thought we just ran out of steam,” he said.

“Again I am having to take off players who can’t run anymore, and as a manager that makes you so proud. To see the effort, commitment and belief that we could achieve something tonight.”

Ainsworth reserved particular praise for the younger players in his side, after the likes of Aaron Pierre, Jason McCarthy and Anthony Stewart all put ion fine displays.

Ainsworth explained: “The players I have got, and the young players that I have got are just destined for bigger things.

“When they perform on occasions like tonight it makes me proud and I feel Sort of like a father figure to them.

“They are young and have all been picked up from here, there and everywhere so a performance like that is fantastic.”

Wanderers spurned two good chances to take the lead in the first half as first Sam Wood was well denied by villa keeper Brad Guzan and then Garry Thompson headed over.

Thompson’s chance was particularly good as Guzan had raced from his line and left an unguarded net.

Ainsworth did not dwell on the missed chances though, instead focusing on the positives of a first half showing that saw Villa leave the field to a chorus of boos.

He said: “To come in at half-time with their fans in a real negative mood, and booing them off, I told the boys that they have done themselves a real favour.

“They (the Villa fans) would have been strong and got behind them if they had scored, and I thought the Wycombe fans were fantastic. They started singing louder at 1-0 down which is just phenomenal for me as a manager.”

Wycombe will now return their focus to their League Two campaign, and they take on Leyton Orient at home on Saturday.