Ainsworth refuses to give up on Wembley
WYCOMBE Wanderers boss Gareth Ainsworth has challenged his side to win four of their next five games in one final push to make the playoffs.
The Chairboys remain three points off the pack after only managing a 3-3 draw against a ten-man Cheltenham in a game that produced a red card and two late penalties.
Despite failing to win in their last four home matches, Ainsworth believes his side are still in with a shout of a potential Wembley date, and should aim for 12 more points, starting with Mansfield Town on Friday.
“We need 71 points to make the play-offs,” he said.
“In recent years, it’s been around that. We have the squad to get there but we can’t expect to go up if we play like that.
“We are punching above our weight in terms of where we are in the table and questions are being asked if we can actually do it.
“We are gutted because points have gone our way in other games but we couldn’t take advantage.
“We need to win four out of five to get the play-offs and we only have one point here.”
Cheltenham took the lead after seven minutes when Billy Waters tapped in Jamal Blackman’s fumble for his 13th of the season.
Harry Pell latched on to James Rowe’s cross to make it two shortly after, before Garry Thompson pulled one back with a neat flick after 20 minutes.
Jordan Cranston’s clumsy challenge on Matt Bloomfield saw him receive his second yellow after being booked for time-wasting, and Thompson’s volley from a tight angle levelled it.
Jacobson’s 81stminute penalty, after Thompson was fouled, looked to have won it for Wycombe but when Danny Wright was felled in the box by Michael Harriman, Waters saw his spotkick saved but turned in the rebound for a point.
Temporary Cheltenham boss Russell Milton insisted that his relegation battlers were happy to take away a point, but admitted that they created their own problems throughout the match.
“We would have taken a point coming here anyway, they’re a good side,” he said.
“It’s probably more disappointing for them that they didn’t beat us.
“We made silly mistakes though. We talked about keeping 11 men on the pitch as it’s cost us a lot this season but we did it again.
“We’re going to be fine. Our character has been questioned but to come away from home and get a point with ten is great.”