PHIL PARKINSON was disappointed at the lack of chances created by his side as Wrexham slipped to a second League One defeat of the season against Stevenage.

The Reds made a bright start at The Lamex Stadium but Louis Thompson struck for the hosts in the 10th minute and it proved to be the only goal of the game as the Reds lost 1-0.

Although Stevenage dominated the opening period after going ahead, Wrexham regrouped and were better in the second half.

But despite enjoying the majority of possession and getting into good areas, the Reds struggled to create opportunities with goalkeeper Murphy Cooper untested as Stevenage held firm.

Parkinson bemoaned the way his side responded in the first half to going behind and was pleased with the reaction after the interval but not the shortage of chances.

"The first 10 minutes of the game we started really brightly," said Parkinson. "We carried on where we left off in the last 35 minutes at the weekend but the goal knocked us too much.

"We never got going after the goal in the first half, apart from two or three moments where we got the ball in to (Steven) Fletcher and mounted an attack.

“But they hurried us out of possession. We weren’t quick enough to make angles, we weren’t quick enough to react to their intensity, everything became horrid and we became second best in the second ball scrap as well as footballing ability.

"It took us to the break really to settle everybody down and say 'there is still a long time in this game'.

“We felt we had a great chance of getting back into it but we needed to show more and I felt we did in the second half.

“We dominated the game, we played some great football, passed it more crisper and accurately. 

"At times we had them pinned back, we were always going to be vulnerable on the break when we made the changes but we had to throw caution to the wind.

“But we just couldn’t produce a moment or a cross despite getting into a lot of good positions which would result in creating a chance, the ball just wouldn’t fall for us in and around the box."

Stevenage boast the joint-best defensive record in the division, conceding just five goals in nine league matches with Cooper keeping his sixth clean sheet against Wrexham who remain second in the table despite the defeat.

"They are a physical team, a hard team to play against," added Parkinson. "They play into areas and they kind of smother you a little bit on this tight pitch.

“But my disappointment was not reacting after the goal.

"We gave it everything we have got in terms of effort but not produced a moment to get us back in it because  I think if we had got one, we would have gone on and won the game.”