Wrexham 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.

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That opened the door to Hull, who defeated Norwich 2-1 thanks to Oli McBurnie’s double and sealed 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.

Wrexham boss Parkinson said after the game: “We took the fight to the wire. It just wasn’t to be. I don’t think we could ask the lads for more.

“To finish seventh is a real achievement in itself. We brought so many new players into the club (last summer), plus we had players who had come up through the divisions with us.

“That was a challenge. It took us a while to get going. But, slowly but surely, we all got to know each other. We were so close, but the lads can be very proud of their achievement, as can the supporters. There aren’t many words you can use (in the dressing room) because everyone is so disappointed.”

Hull coach Sergej Jakirovic said a top-six finish was “a big success” for the club. “It’s an unbelievable feeling. It’s a very big achievement in these circumstances (under a transfer embargo). It’s not been easy at all. In the end, it’s sweet. The chairman is a very positive man and he believed all the time we could reach this.”

Elsewhere, Ipswich Town were automatically promoted to the Premier 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.

Another Wrexham rollercoaster

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 not been 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-ever 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 doubt back their manager once again in the summer transfer window. Exciting times, despite the disappointment of just missing out on the play-offs.