PHIL PARKINSON insisted Wrexham should not have left Edgeley Park pointless after putting themselves in a strong position.

The Reds suffered a second defeat of the National League season as Stockport County came from behind to win 2-1 in the clash between two of the promotion favourites.

Wrexham got off to a dream start as Paul Mullin raced onto Rob Lainton’s long ball and scored to make it 1-0 with just 50 seconds on the clock.

Mullin was denied twice by Stockport’s debutant goalkeeper Ethan Ross before the break, and failure to build on their lead came back to haunt the Reds.

The second half was just three minutes old when County levelled and the home side scored a late winner, leaving Parkinson to reflect on what might have been for his men.

"With Mullin, and the timing of his runs, it was a great strike from Rob and once he is away, he is a very difficult player to catch and it was a fantastic finish." said Parkinson.

“We got a great start and I thought we controlled the first half.

“I was pleased with the way that we went about our business. What we set out to do we did.

“We had other chances to score but we didn’t take them.”

Parkinson was disappointed with the poor defending from a corner which led to Stockport’s equaliser that gave both Simon Rusk’s men and the County supporters a huge boost having been second best to Wrexham in the opening period.

“We’re hugely frustrated in ourselves and for our travelling supporters, who came in their numbers, that we haven’t headed the ball out of our box in the first five minutes of the second half,” said Parkinson.

“That changed the momentum and the feeling in the stadium, and the goal is too easy to concede. It gave them a lift.

“Did we feel under pressure after that? Not really. Did we have decent control? Yes. Did we do enough to threaten? Probably not.

“But there was no way we should have lost that game. We’ve controlled it for long periods but it’s so frustrating because we’ve given a team who were lacking confidence a massive lift.”

Wrexham conceded what turned out to be Stockport’s winner in the 80th minute after the hosts broke on the counter-attack and it was another avoidable goal as far as Parkinson was concerned.

“We broke down the right and got a cross in,” said Parkinson.

“They’ve cut through our midfield. James Jones is a bit advanced, Luke Young kind of bypassed it in midfield and they’re breaking on us.

“The cross comes in, we couldn’t clear it, it has just ricocheted to the lad and he has toe-poked it in.

“When we were attacking, could we be in better positions to make sure we didn’t get countered on? Probably, but I think the first goal is the one which really hurt us.”