Wrexham miss out on Premier League promotion dream after final-day draw

Birmingham CityBlackburn RoversBristol CityCharlton AthleticCoventry CityDerby CountyHull CityIpswich TownLeicester CityMiddlesbroughMillwallNorwich CityPortsmouthPreston North EndQueens Park RangersSheffield UnitedSheffield WednesdaySouthamptonStoke CitySwansea CityWatfordWest Bromwich AlbionWrexhamScores & ScheduleStandingsPodcastsWrexham miss out on Premier League promotion dream after final-day drawWrexham missed out on a play-off spot by two points to Hull City Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images Share articleWrexham missed out on a promotion play-off place to the Premier League after a final-day draw at home to Middlesbrough. Phil Parkinson’s side started the day in sixth, enough to earn a play-off place, but their draw coupled with Hull City’s victory over Norwich City saw Wrexham slip to seventh and miss out. Middlesbrough, who had already confirmed a play-off spot and had an outside chance of automatic promotion, took the lead at the Racecourse Ground inside four minutes, with Callum Brittain’s cross turned in by Tommy Conway. Wrexham then scored twice in a 13-minute spell; Josh Windass scored an excellently-taken free-kick into the top-left corner, before Sam Smith raced onto Issa Kabore’s cross to head home four minutes before half-time. Just three minutes later, though, David Strelec fired Middlesbrough back level with an instinctive finish from a Matt Targett cross. At that point, Derby County were in sixth place — above Wrexham and Hull — as they led Sheffield United, but John Eustace’s side would go on to lose that match 2-1, while there were no more goals between Wrexham and Middlesbrough. That opened the door to Hull, who defeated Norwich 2-1 thanks to Oli McBurnie’s double and seal a top-six spot. Wrexham’s matches during their unprecedented rise of three successive promotions from the National League to the Championship have regularly seen late drama befitting of their Hollywood ownership, but there was to be no winner for Parkinson’s side on Saturday. Elsewhere, Ipswich Town were automatically promoted to the Preimer League following a 2-0 win over Queens Park Rangers. They will join Coventry City, back in the top division after a 25-year absence, with Frank Lampard’s side winning 4-0 at Watford on the final day. Hull will play third-place Millwall in the play-off semi-final, with the winners of that to meet the victors of the other tie between Southampton and Middlesbrough. Oxford United, Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday have all been relegated to League One, the third tier of English football. Analysis by The Athletic’s Wrexham correspondent Richard Sutcliffe First they were in, then they were out, back in again and then out. A rollercoaster afternoon for Wrexham that was pretty much a microcosm of their first season at this level for 43 years. At times, such as when beating Coventry and Ipswich, they’ve played some irresistible football. Other times, they’ve been not so good and it’s perhaps no surprise that Parkinson’s side came up just short. Nevertheless, it’s still been a fine season for Wrexham. Not only had Parkinson’s side bagged the club’s highest even league position, beating the previous best of 15th in the old Second Division, set in 1978-79. But they were also guaranteed to finish as Wales’ top club, a feat they hadn’t achieved since 2000-01. Plenty, therefore, to build on for a club whose owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac will no dount back their manager once again in the summer transfer window. Exciting times, despite the disappointment of just missing out on the play-offs. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms