Wycombe Wanderers manager Gareth Ainsworth admitted to having ‘one or two choice words’ with his team as they fell to a 3-1 loss away at Exeter City.

The Chairboys were 2-0 at half-time thanks to goals from Harry Kite and Archie Collins before David Wheeler pulled one back for the Adams Park club just after the break.

But a free header by Tim Dieng confirmed Wycombe’s third league defeat in four games.

READ MORE: Wycombe lose for the third league game in row as Exeter City defeat Wanderers 3-1 at St James Park

The loss means Wanderers are now 20th in the table after being top of the pile on the season’s opening weekend.

Speaking to the press after the match, Ainsworth said: “We were unrecognizable in the first-half, and even though we did a bit better in the second-half, conceding two goals from corners is not Wycombe Wanderers.

“They are becoming an issue and that’s four in two games.

“That’s not good enough as we need to be solid.

“At half-time, I did say one or two choice words about how far we have come and where we have been, and that seemed to work.

“Once we started putting it on them, we looks a lot better but the corner is a free header for their third goal and you just can’t do that.

“We will be working hard on set pieces.”

READ MORE: Live at St James Park: Exeter City 3-1 Wycombe Wanderers: Hosts regain two-goal lead

The boss also revealed that missing players through injury is a ‘factor’ following their poor start to the season.

At present, the club have got seven first-team players out, so have therefore given development players such as Ali Al-Hamadi, Jasper Pattenden and D’Mani Mellor their chance in the main frame.

Speaking on his club’s poor run of form, Ainsworth added: “It’s a factor of few things [Wanderers’ poor start to the campaign].

“We’re playing players that are not really up to speed.

“I’ve got players out due to injury in Ryan Tafazolli, Sam Vokes, Brandon Hanlan, Curtis Thompson, Jason McCarthy and David Wheeler nearly missed the trip too.

“We need to make sure that we can play without these guys, but we just didn’t get going.

“They deserved the win tonight and that hurts to say.”