Photo by Trevor Wilkinson/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesWrexhams first competitive outing of the 2026/27 season ended in disappointment.The Red Dragons were in first-round Carabao Cup action against Middlesbrough on Friday evening at the Riverside Stadium, having previously drawn 2-2 with Boro in their final game of last campaign.As this was a cup match, it could not end in a draw, and Wrexham ultimately fell to a 1-0 defeat thanks to a goal from Will Lankshear.Now, manager Phil Parkinson has shared his verdict on the defeat, including the moment Sam Smith was booked for simulation.Photo by Stu Forster/Getty ImagesPhil Parkinson questions why referee booked Sam SmithEarly in the second half, Smith was played through and burst into the Middlesbrough box before appearing to lose his footing just before he made contact with Boros goalkeeper.There were no penalty appeals from the Wrexham players, but the referee still then decided to show the striker a yellow card for diving.On his player being booked, Parkinson said, as per Leader Live: There were a few moments in the second-half where it didnt quite fall for us. Sam was a bit unlucky when he slipped on that one when the ref bizarrely booked him. I cant quite understand that.Despite suffering defeat in their first proper game of the season, though, Parkinson still thinks there were a lot of positives to take away.He continued: In any game of football, its separated on those moments, and I felt we had enough.Neither keepers had a lot to do. Obviously the big moment was the keeper saving with his legs from Sam in the first half.We sunk a bit at times, but so did they towards the end when we got control back of the game.We just couldnt quite find the moment, but a lot of positives for us.Wrexham will now face Welsh rivals Cardiff City on Monday, August 17, in their first Championship match of the new campaign.They only just missed out on the play-offs last season, but now the format has been expanded to include six teams instead of four, the Dragons chances of making it to the knockout phase should increase.Read more:Ridiculous Soccer fans blown away as Inter Miami share Lionel Messi training footageUSMNT duo issue verdicts after playing their first game for English side Middlesbrough vs WrexhamGianni Infantino responds to wild report that UEFA made six-figure payment to his alleged mistress