Wrexham target Championship play-offs in final day Middlesbrough clash
Wrexham will attempt to secure a Championship play-off spot on the final day of the regular season when they host Middlesbrough at Stok Cae Ras on Saturday.
The Red Dragons currently sit sixth in the table, ahead of seventh-placed Hull City on goal difference and a single point clear of Derby County.
Phil Parkinson’s side successfully clawed back a four-point deficit over the last month to take their top-six ambitions down to the wire.
“A few weeks ago we were four points adrift and the aim was to go right to the wire in the battle to get into the play-offs,” said the Wrexham manager.
He added that reaching this decisive scenario is an outcome the Welsh club would have accepted without hesitation at the start of the campaign.
Evolving mindset following Coventry defeat
The promotion hopefuls suffered a 3-1 defeat to title-winners Coventry City in their previous outing.
Midfielder Ollie Rathbone scored his eighth goal of the season in that loss and believes their deep frustration highlights the squad’s immense progress.
“It shows how much the team has evolved that we’ve come to the best team in the division and we’re disappointed that we’ve not taken anything away,” said Rathbone.
The 27-year-old expressed immense pride in their growth despite the ultimate disappointment against Frank Lampard’s newly-crowned champions.
Automatic promotion hopes complicate permutations
Visiting Middlesbrough arrive in North Wales with their own play-off berth already guaranteed.
However, Kim Hellberg’s men could still be chasing an automatic promotion spot depending on the midweek result between Southampton and Ipswich Town.
Rathbone insists the home side must ignore the intense outside permutations and focus entirely on claiming three points.
“I think you’ve just got to try and be as calm as possible, play the game as you would normally and hope you’ve done enough,” added the midfielder.
After 45 grueling fixtures in the second tier, the squad intends to go full blast this weekend with hopes of celebrating another historic achievement.
