Wrexham's Max Cleworth celebrates scoring the first goal
Wrexham sealed a thrilling 3-2 home win against Wycombe Wanderers to mark their return to the third tier after a 19-year absence in style.
With Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in attendance at a packed Stok Racecourse holding 13,214 fans, Max Cleworth gave Wrexham a dream start.
Wycombe failed to deal with Elliot Lee's corner and defender Cleworth pounced to poke home from close range.
Richard Kone was unlucky not to equalise after his deflected shot spun just the wrong side of the Wrexham post.
Instead the hosts - still missing convalescing leading striker Paul Mullin - doubled their lead with an exquisite goal, began by Lee's pin-point lofted pass.
Ollie Palmer's back-heel flick was taken on the chest by Jack Marriott, who then lashed home an unstoppable volley with the outside of his right boot.
It was far from one-way traffic though and Wycombe's Josh Scowen saw his snap-shot cannon off the underside of Arthur Okonkwo’s crossbar following a corner.
Nathan Bishop pulled off a sharp one-on-one save to deny Marriott a second goal soon after half-time.
That proved crucial as Kone then pulled a goal back for the visitors, springing to his feet to score after an initial effort had been blocked from Dan Harvie's left-wing cross.
With seven minutes remaining, former Scotland striker Steven Fletcher came off the bench to restore Wrexham's two-goal cushion, picking up a loose ball on the edge of the area before curling the ball into the far corner.
There was more drama to come though, as Wycombe sub Sam Vokes struck back almost immediately, the ex-Wales frontman rising highest to head home in a goalmouth melee, but Wrexham hung on for a deserved three points.
- Published10 August
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson told BBC Sport Wales:
"I'm so pleased, I thought it was a great game of football. The first 30-35 minutes I thought we were outstanding, everything we set out to do against their shape we did.
"We got in some terrific positions and got the goals. They had a little spell before the break but was that us taking our foot off the gas a little or was that them, because they're a good side?
"Second half we had chances to extend the lead, didn't quite take them, but the third goal was really important.
"They went really direct, threw caution to the wind and... got a couple of goals and it made it a tight game - but I don't think we can be too picky today."
