Shaggy haired winger Ainsworth, 38, made a goal for debutant Matty Whichelow after skinning David Buchanan. He then netted the winner to help move Wycombe out of the drop zone before new boy Harper revealed:
"Their full back was winding him up about dragging a caravan around the pitch. Gareth nipped past him to cross for Matty and then told the lad he'd managed to unhook his caravan for that one. It was all good natured banter, but Gaz definitely came out on top.
He's been inspirational to the lads. He's always upbeat, always on it and ready to go. He's been what I thought he'd be - a top man."
Tranmere winger Adam McGurk opened the scoring with an scorching long range shot in the fifth minute, but midfielder Harper is sure Wycombe have what it takes to beat the drop.
Harper, 31, was making his home debut following a month long loan deal from Hull and said:
"That was a great goal at the start, but among our lads it was like, 'right, we're not having this'. From then I thought we were good value.
I'm a little bit rusty myself, but then my last first team game was at the start of August. Once we've got a bit of belief that we can do it, we'll be okay.
Man of the match midfielder Matt Bloomfield also paid tribute to Ainsworth, saying:
“Gaz was brilliant in the first 45 minutes. That's when he is at his best – running at defenders, getting in behind the full-back and getting crosses into the box.
He led by example on the pitch and set the tone for our battling display.”
Whichelow, 20, has joined the Chairboys' relegation scrap from Watford in another one month loan spell and he revealed the pressure was on him to nod in Ainsworth's cross in the 25th minute. He said:
"The lads told me that four loan players have scored on their debut for the club this season and so it was important for me to keep that run going.
The gaffer at Watford has told me to go out and get some experience and I know if I do well, I'll earn myself another contract there and go back to fight for my place.
But at the minute it's all about doing my bit to help out there and play my part in getting the club up the table. The spirit in the dressing room is really good and that's always going to help."
Wycombe boss Gary Waddock was delighted with the effort and commitment shown by his team and said:
The players showed a lot of character to turn the result around. Second-half they had everyone up-front and changed their formation and we had to deal with it.
"There were goal-line clearances where players were putting their bodies on the line to make sure it didn't go in and that is what we need. We just grinded out result and a very important one.
They threw the kitchen sink at us in the second-half and they hit the woodwork. We had goal-line clearances and a goal ruled out for offside, but we have had periods this season when decisions haven't gone our way. They say it evens itself out and we got one today and I am just pleased with the result."
Rovers manager Les Parry groaned:
"Both goals were gifts and we never performed in the first half. We started decently and then we didn't perform in the first half. It's an uphill battle then.
We've scored in the first five minutes of the last three away games and we've lost all three 2-1. We can't gift goals and we can't miss the chances we've missed.
They'll think they defended a lead well and you can't argue with that."
My clipping from this morning's paper
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