Wed Oct 29, 2025 4:27 pm
Phil Parkinson says Wrexham have to take criticism on the chin after blowing the chance to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals with Tuesday's meek home defeat to Welsh rivals Cardiff.
Having enjoyed three successive promotions from non-League to the Championship, the ambitious Red Dragons had the chance to reach the last eight of the competition for the first time since 1978.
But a much-changed line-up fell to a deserved 2-1 loss to League One promotion hopefuls Cardiff as the south Wales side took the bragging rights in their first meeting in 21 years.
Former City striker Kieffer Moore came off the bench to cancel out Yousef Salech's opener but Will Fish's volley sealed progress on a night when boos from the home fans greeted the half-time and full-time whistles.
"We were off the pace first half," frustrated boss Parkinson said. "That's probably an understatement. We didn't close down with enough aggression or intent, and made it too easy for them.
"Then second half I thought the changes got us back in the game, and I felt we could go on and win the game but we probably didn't produce the right decisions at the right time in that top third of the pitch.
"We're hugely disappointed. We knew it was an important night for us, the supporters.
"We've had lots of praise over the years and we'll take the criticism, myself included, for going out the cup tonight.
"We made a lot of changes and I'm sure everybody will be analysing that, like myself, but I did it for the reasons I thought were the right ones with the schedule we've got coming up."