Blades striker Ben Brereton Diaz grabbed his first goal of the season in the 30th minute and that was enough to seal his side’s third win in five games and climb to within a point of the top eight.

Wrexham lacked inspiration and although they improved after a poor first period, they slipped to a fourth league defeat in their last seven matches and remain 17th in the table.

Parkinson said: “We were slow on the ball and our intensity levels weren’t where they needed to be. Second half, we did loads better.

“But whatever system you play, whatever personnel you play, the team has got to represent the town in the way it has done for the majority of the last five years.

“I think this season we’ve had some really good performances, but I just said to lads in the dressing room, I don’t feel we’ve got a consistent level of effort, and desire every week, and that’s what our fans are used to seeing.”

Wrexham missed out on a play-off place by two points on the final day of last season following three successive promotions from the National League.

“We had a very good season for our first season of the Championship and we’ve got to get that level with this group,” Parkinson added.