GARETH Ainsworth said the pressure got to his young players during Saturday's die-or-die clash with Bristol Rovers.

A lack of experienced heads has hindered the side in recent weeks, with seven of Saturday's team aged 22 or under.

Ainsworth said that meant some of the players were guilty of panicking in their attempts to create goalscoring opportunities late on in the 2-1 defeat that plunged the side into the relegation zone and needing a miracle to avoid the drop.

The Blues boss said: "We've had so many youngsters in the team, the nerves and the pressure has probably told on them. It showed at the end, trying to get quality balls into the box and making little errors, silly mistakes which you learn from when you're young.

"The boys never mean to do an incorrect thing on the pitch but we've got to get it right next week at Torquay around the box.

"It was a game of few chances. We had the better ones but again we haven't scored, we haven't been ruthless enough in front of goal. It's been difficult this year for that."

Ainsworth has one of the lowest budgets in League Two with which to bring in reinforcements - but the 40-year-old said: "I don't want to use excuses. The financial situation is well documented at the club, and we are one of the lower clubs in League Two, but money doesn't make us not take our chances on the pitch."