- Railwaymen beaten at home
- More than 9,000 at Mornflake Stadium
- Cooney sees controversial red
Crewe Alexandra were beaten 3-0 by Wrexham in the final home game of the regular League Two season.
Goals from Ollie Palmer, Paul Mullin and Andy Cannon earned the already-promoted visitors all three points at Mornflake Stadium.
The game was shrouded in controversy when referee Seb Stockbridge elected not to send off James McClean after an aggressive coming together with Aaron Rowe.
And he further incensed Alex fans when he dismissed Ryan Cooney in the second half.
It meant, at the end of the game, The Railwaymen stayed in fifth with one game remaining at Colchester United next weekend.
Lee Bell made one change to the side that lost to Grimsby, with Joel Tabiner replacing Charlie Kirk.
Christopher Long and Shilow Tracey were back from injury to be amongst the subs.
Wrexham, who were without injured duo James Jones and George Evans, started with fellow ex-Crewe man Arthur Okonkwo, while Callum McFadzean was on the bench.
Crewe looked the more likely early on, with some good combination play getting them into some good positions.
But the visitors hit the front on 24 minutes when Mullin whipped in cross and Palmer’s deft finish found the back of the net.
Palmer’s dipping volley was easily held by keeper Max Stryjek, but neither keeper had much to do despite some entertaining football.
There was a flashpoint when Rowe fouled McClean, and the Wrexham man reacted aggressively.
Both players were booked and, when play restarted, Mullin raced behind the home defence and lobbed the keeper for 2-0.
McClean did not reemerge for the second half, as Parkinson recognised the fortune of still having 11 men.
And the game was over as a contest on 55 minutes when Ryan Cooney handled the ball after being shoved in the back. The referee surprised the whole stadium by showing the defender a red card.
Wrexham completed the scoring on 61 minutes when Cannon showed clever footwork in the box and finished calmly.
Charlie Finney headed over for Crewe, while Stryjek made a couple of good stops at the other end before the final whistle.
Crewe (4-2-3-1): Stryjek; Adebisi, Williams, Demetriou, Cooney; Tabiner, Billington; Austerfield, Rowe (Finney, 69), Holicek; Nevitt (Kirk, 87).
Subs not used: Davies, Long, Kempster-Down, Agius, Tracey.
Booked: Rowe, Williams.
Sent off: Cooney.
Wrexham (3-5-2): Okonkwo; McClean (McFadzean, 46), O’Connor, O’Connell, Cleworth, Barnett (Bolton, 76); Lee, Young, Cannon (Davies, 76); Palmer (Fletcher, 66), Mullin (Marriott, 66).
Subs not used: Howard, Tozer.
Booked: McClean.
Referee: Seb Stockbridge.
Attendance: 9,033 (1,694).
