Phil Parkinson may finally have found something that works this season.

Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Championship leaders Middlesbrough was as impressive as it was unexpected. With Sam Smith ruled out for the season and Josh Windass, Nathan Broadhead and Callum O’Hare all injured, Kieffer Moore and 21-year-old Bailey Cadamarteri are Wrexham’s only fit attackers.

How Wrexham beat Middlesbrough

Parkinson’s answer to his injury crisis was to go back to a three-man midfield. Ben Whiteman sat in front of the defence, with George Dobson and George Thomason either side of him, and Lewis O’Brien played just behind Moore in a 3-5-1-1.

It worked brilliantly. Wrexham controlled the middle of the pitch for long periods, the extra numbers in midfield let the wing-backs push forward, and Middlesbrough rarely got going. Wrexham won the expected goals battle 1.44 to 0.89, according to FotMob, and goals from Thomason and substitute Ollie Rathbone sealed it.

There was a rare clean sheet too, Anthony Patterson’s first since September.

“We upset a good team tonight,” Parkinson said. “All I ever want, and all the owners want, is the honesty of performance that our fans can relate to.”

Why Wolves are a different test for Wrexham

Beating Middlesbrough was brilliant. But doing it again against Wolves will be even harder.

Middlesbrough came to the Racecourse as the Championship’s most dangerous attacking side, and Wrexham’s compact setup frustrated them and gave them chances to break. Cesar Peixoto’s Wolves are a completely different kind of team. As per FotMob, they’ve conceded just 12.9xG in 14 league games, the fewest in the division. They simply don’t give much away.

That’s a problem for a Wrexham side who have struggled to create chances all season. Opta data, reported by The Athletic, shows Wrexham are attempting just 0.31 through balls per game this season, roughly a third of last season’s 0.96. Windass and Broadhead were first and second in the squad for through balls last season, so it’s not rocket science to see what’s missing.

Then there’s the workload. Saturday is Wrexham’s third game in eight days, and Moore has shouldered the burden up front, with Cadamarteri yet to start a league game this season. Parkinson has already been carefully managing Ben Sheaf’s minutes, and Matty James missed Wednesday after needing stitches.

Saturday will also be Parkinson’s 150th home game in charge, and he boasts an incredible record of winning 101 of the previous 149. A year ago, beating Coventry sparked Wrexham’s season into life, and Parkinson will be hoping Middlesbrough can do the same. Another big result against Wolves would send Wrexham into the international break with real momentum, and it would quieten the doubts about whether the manager can still get a response.