Wrexham: Phil Parkinson seeks Middlesbrough response after honest talks

“We’re not where we want to be, we know that, but we’ve got to dig deep,” Parkinson added.

“Like I said after the game, what’s important is that the performances reflect how the team has played over a number of years.

“I felt, for whatever reason, we weren’t anywhere near that in the first half at Bramall Lane.

“But as I equally stress, there’s been a lot of games this season where we have reached those levels, and we’ve got to look at the reasons why we didn’t, what we need to get back to, and we’ll see where that takes us.”

Wrexham beat Preston North End 4-1 in their most recent home game, but have yet to achieve back-to-back wins on their ground this season.

“The Racecourse’s atmosphere is huge for us,” Parkinson said. “We need our supporters [against Middlesbrough].

“We’re a bit depleted, but we’ve shown grit and determination a lot of the time over these years, and that’s what we’re looking for.

“We’ve got to fight tooth and nail whilst understanding the tactical side of the game and what’s required. I want to really see that kind of spark and effort and intensity in our play.”