Phil Parkinson believes Wrexham's 2-0 loss to Birmingham City was a squandered chance to tighten the race for the Championship play-offs, though he maintains his squad is far from finished.
Second-half goals from Carlos Vicente and Christoph Klarer secured a comfortable victory for Birmingham at St Andrew's, leaving Wrexham four points adrift of the top six with just four matches remaining in the season. Parkinson pointed to defensive errors as the decisive factor in a match where his team struggled to create meaningful opportunities.
"We came here today expecting Birmingham to play direct and go into the front quickly, which they did at Ipswich, and we were prepared for that," Parkinson said. "I thought first half, it was a competitive game and we handled those situations well. We lacked a bit of patience when we had possession in the top third of the pitch and made the wrong decision on a few occasions. We were right in the game, and we're just so disappointed with the goals we've conceded today because, out of nothing, two moments have been really costly for us."
The statistics underscored Birmingham's dominance. The hosts registered eight shots on target compared to Wrexham's zero, enjoyed nearly four times as many touches in the opposition box (22 to 6), and posted a significantly higher expected goals figure (1.55 versus 0.08). This marked the first time in 11 away league games that Wrexham failed to score and only their second defeat on the road in their last 10 Championship outings.
Parkinson acknowledged his team's offensive struggles, particularly in the final third. "First half we didn't connect the game in terms of the top third of the pitch," he noted. "I thought we switched it well. We got Issa [Kabore] in some great positions. We grew into the game in terms of the football. But it's just then, in that area, can we pick the right pass, show that element of calmness to then make sure that top third possession results in chances. In every game this season, we've carried a threat, we've been a goal threat, even against Premier League teams in the cup. We've played top teams in this division, we've scored goals and today we just couldn't find a way to produce that quality."
Despite the setback, the Wrexham manager struck a defiant tone regarding their playoff aspirations. The team remains within striking distance of sixth-placed Hull City. "We haven't had many back-to-back defeats. We've had a tough week this week, but we're not down and out yet," Parkinson asserted. The coming fixtures will determine if the Red Dragons can close the gap and extend their remarkable season.