Wrexham's push for a Championship play-off spot has hit a rough patch, and manager Phil Parkinson is demanding his squad tighten up. With just four games left in the regular season, the message is clear: don't give away a top-six finish cheaply.

The Red Dragons have slipped to seventh in the table, four crucial points behind sixth-placed Hull City. A recent run of just one win in five matches has seen their destiny slip from their own hands, making Saturday's clash with Stoke City at the STōK Cae Ras a must-win.

"The weekend is about us," Parkinson stated. "The one thing we've got to make sure doesn't happen is that we hand a play-off berth to somebody else without them earning it. Our aim is to give everything to get in the top six, but if we don't, we have to push the teams above us all the way."

The timing of this rallying cry comes after a moment of personal reflection for Parkinson. Just days after a disappointing 2-0 loss to Birmingham City, he was awarded the Freedom of Wrexham County Borough, honoring his role in the club's remarkable three-year rise from the National League.

That honor provided a brief respite from the intense promotion race. "It certainly gave myself a chance to reflect because you don't get a chance to do that really during the season," Parkinson admitted. This perspective is crucial as his team faces a familiar high-pressure scenario.

History offers a blueprint for success. Last season in League One, Wrexham found themselves in a similar late-season slump, dropping out of the automatic promotion spots before rallying to win their final three games and secure second place. Parkinson will be hoping this week's mix of reflection and refocusing can spark a similar decisive run-in, starting with a statement performance against Stoke.