It was a cold Boxing Day evening in North Wales and things were starting all over again in Wrexham.

After five games without a win, Phil Parkinson’s spirits were building and the club’s expectations were higher than any team in the pyramid but ended up in 15th place.

Trailing 3-1 at the racecourse, things weren’t looking good. But a chaotic second half allowed them to come back and win 5-3. Since then, there have been five wins in seven games.

The latest scenario is almost as unlikely as a dull blade. Queens Park Rangers trailed 2-1 in the 89th minute, but Amadou Mbengue’s red card led to a stunning late comeback. Josh Windass equalized in the third minute of stoppage time and Ollie Ratbone equalized a minute later.

The tight nature of this season’s Championship table means the two goals lifted Wrexham from provisional 11th in the table to sixth, occupying the final play-off spot.

They had achieved automatic promotion in each of their first three seasons, which was out of reach. But they managed at least sixth place against stiff competition.

What has changed…and what has not changed

With Wrexham’s rise came significant changes within the squad as they had to rush to continue their unprecedented progress.

It took Parkinson a while to find his sweet spot this season, but now he appears to be relatively successful. Two forward players, usually Nathan Brodhead and Josh Windass, provide support for target man Kiefer Moore.

Elsewhere, midfielder George Thomason, signed from Bolton Wanderers, has proved a revelation as a left-wing defender. Before the Boxing Day game against Sheffield United, he had never played this role in his entire career. He dished out three assists that day and has maintained that position.

Players who did not practice early in the season were quickly moved. Connor Coady seemed like a smart summer recruit given his experience, but he didn’t feature after starting five games and is now on his way out.

Wrexham is a rapidly adapting organism. Of the team that started Saturday’s match against QPR, only Moore and Matty James were in the starting XI for the opening day of the season.

While many owners may be itching for the huge investment and slow start, Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have full faith in their leader, Parkinson.

Questions have been raised over his managerial abilities following poor performances in the Championship in the past despite triple promotion. But he’s currently proving the doubters wrong.

“Each promotion brings different and tougher challenges.”

Defender Max Cleworth is the man who has best witnessed the changes at the club.

At just 23 years old, he is Wrexham’s longest-serving player. He joined Wrexham in 2014 as a 12-year-old and featured in all three promotion campaigns to the National League.

Rather than approaching the task with trepidation out of fear that he might never get a chance at the club, Klevos faced the challenge head on.

“I’m very proud of it,” he told sky sports his journey. “When the boss came in there was an immediate change in the feeling around it and it felt like the club was only going in one direction.

“I joined the academy and youth teams when I was 11 or 12 and just wanted to have fun with it. That’s always been my approach and my family’s as well, enjoying every session and every game.

“When you get into the first team you hope to impress and then the boss comes in and everything changes so quickly that everything becomes normal.

“The cameras were always around and the owners came in after COVID and all the craziness calmed down very quickly. It became normal very quickly. I’m so grateful that I got to be a part of this journey.

“I work hard every day, every training session and every game, to prove that I have what it takes to stay at the club. Every promotion brings a different and tougher challenge and I try to enjoy it and accept it.”

“I’ve also experienced downs, and it’s not all smooth sailing, but I’m really grateful to the management for trusting me and letting me play regularly, and I’ve tried my best to repay them.”

Cleworth has started 27 of Wrexham’s 29 Championship games this season.

“It was obviously a tough and challenging start, but it’s been really enjoyable since then,” he said. “We made a lot of changes in the summer and it was difficult for everyone to adapt immediately so it will take some time.

“We went through some tough times, found some stability in the middle of the season and then had a great Christmas. Overall, individually and collectively, I really enjoyed it.”

“The big question now is whether they can stay the course”

tommy smith At Sky Sports Highlights EFL podcast:

“It’s the sign of a team with real momentum. Against QPR, most people thought the game was over. To get an equalizer so late was impressive, but what stood out was their belief in going ahead and winning the game shortly afterwards. That shift summed up their attitude.

“It shows a never-say-die mentality, which can take you a long way in this league. A lot of teams would have accepted defeat at that stage but Wrexham always seemed to be fighting. Their position in the table is not a fluke. You don’t end up in sixth by accident after so many games.

“Full credit to Wrexham, Phil Parkinson and everyone at the club. They deserve credit for their atmosphere, resilience and the way they piled up the points. They are difficult to beat and fully deserve their position.”

“The big question now is whether they can go further. With the transfer window still open it will be interesting to see if they step up, especially with talk of adding a centre-forward. Any additions could push them further.”