Joey Barton disappointed but won't lose faith in Fleetwood Town's passing style

Joey Barton could take satisfaction from the quality of Fleetwood's football he watched from the dugout at Wycombe on Monday

Barton keeps perspective after 'bizarre' defeat

Town received plenty of praise for their quality and style in this week's semi-final second leg at Wycombe Wanderers - particularly from Chairboys boss Gareth Ainsworth - even if the three-goal deficit from the first leg proved too great to bridge.

And although head coach Barton accepts that results are ultimately all that matter, he sees no reason to compromise on his commitment to passing football.

The Town boss said of Monday's rematch at Adams Park: "I think anyone who saw this game has seen the way we play football, and I believe that will take us a lot further in the game than maybe other styles of football.

"It's frustrating not to get to a final when you have the quality to do so but that's the game.

"We were fifth this season before the league stopped and I do think that ringrustiness cost us in the first leg.

"We were punched in the face twice before we knew what was going on and we never really recovered.

"You've got to be switched on for 90-plus minutes of both legs. You can't afford to have a period when you make those kind of mistakes, and the key is that you learn from them, respond correctly and show character.

"It would have been easy to come for the second leg and play a dead rubber. The players are obviously knackered after the game on Friday, after three and a half weeks (training after lockdown).

"We had 60 minutes against Wigan's reserves as a warm-up because we couldn't find a friendly, and the mistakes we made in the first game are the mistakes we made in the first couple of games of pre-season and then ironed out."

And although Wycombe's style of play is not the one he favours, Barton had nothing but praise for the team who will face Oxford United in Monday's Wembley final.

He added: "I thought they were hungry, they wanted it and you have to take your hat off to them.

"They played the game and the conditions at our place superbly and got themselves a commanding lead. And in the second leg they've done what is necessary.

"Football isn't about the way it looks - it's about getting results and Wycombe got the result. Credit to Wycombe and to Gaz (Ainsworth): they deserve the chance to scrap it out and we wish them nothing but the best in the final."