WREXHAM took another step closer to automatic promotion from League Two after registering a brilliant 4-1 win against play-off contenders Crawley Town at The Racecourse.

Victory keeps Wrexham second in the table, four points adrift of leaders Stockport County but five ahead of fourth placed MK Dons.

Five points from the final three games would guarantee a top-three finish, although Wrexham could finish the job off this weekend if they beat lowly Forest Green Rovers at home and MK Dons and Barrow both drop points in their respective matches on Saturday.

Wrexham produced an excellent first-half performance against a Crawley side who headed to north Wales on the back of a decent run of form that left the Red Devils in with a good chance of a top-seven finish.

Two goals inside 90 seconds put Wrexham in control.

Ryan Barnett broke the deadlock with his first goal for the club and leading scorer Paul Mullin struck for the 22nd time this season, and the Reds could have got more after putting the visitors under a lot of pressure.

There was not let-up from Wrexham after the break with man of the match Andy Cannon getting a deserved goal before Mullin bagged his 23rd of the campaign, with Crawley reducing the deficit in added time.

But Wrexham, who made it two wins in a row, remain well placed in the race for promotion with three fixtures left.

Parkinson made two changes from the side that started Saturday's 2-1 comeback victory against Colchester on Saturday.

Elliot Lee and Ollie Palmer came into the team in place of Jacob Mendy, who went off with a hamstring problem at The JobServe Community Stadium, and Steven Fletcher.

James McClean started off in midfield at the weekend before reverting to left wing-back when Mendy was substituted, and he continued in that position with playmaker Lee keeping his record in tact of featuring in every league game this season.

Palmer was back in attack alongside Mullin who scored his 100th goal for the club at Colchester.

Crawley, who headed to north Wales in good form, made a confident start and Nick Tsaaroulla's low shot was well saved by Reds' goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo.

Wrexham's first chance came in the 14th minute when Barnett played in by Cannon who sent in a cross from the by-line and Mullin fired over the bar. 

However, patience paid off as the Reds took the lead after 21 minutes.

Following neat build-up play, the ball was played out to Lee on the left flank who whipped in a brilliant cross which was headed home by Barnett.

It got even better for Wrexham who went 2-0 up just two minutes later.

Barnett was involved again as he fed Cannon on the overlap and his low cross was turned into the net from close range by Mullin.

Wrexham had the bit between the teeth and continued to go at Crawley and when Palmer was pulled back by Laurence Maguire as he attempted to run through on goal, the brother of Manchester United and England man Harry Maguire was lucky to get away with a yellow card.

Crawley got in on the counter-back but Eoghan O'Connell made a superb block in the area to prevent Ronan Darcy's cross from reaching a team-mate and from the resulting corner, Jay Williams' effort went wide.

Wrexham were quickly back on the offensive and Palmer's shot from outside the area was comfortably saved by Crawley keeper Corey Addai.

But there was more to come from Wrexham who saw Mullin's header from Barnett's cross blocked by a defender and Lee's header from Cannon's cross hit the post with the last opportunity of the opening period.

There was no sitting back by the Reds when the second half kicked off and Lee almost played in Palmer but Crawley made a vital block.

Cannon also came close with a shot that deflected over the bar after Barnett nodded down McClean's cross.

Crawley hadn't thrown in the towel and Maguire's shot was palmed away by Okonkwo while Max Cleworth made a superb sliding tackle to thwart Harry Forster in the area.

Wrexham came close when Lee played in Mullin who fed Cannon and the midfielder was denied by Addai.

But the Reds got the third goal they'd been threatening on 76 minutes.

Lee's shot was parried by Addai and Cannon fired home from close range.

There was time for Wrexham to score a fourth goal in the 82nd minute.

Mullin pounced on a mistake by Ade Adeyemo and ran in on goal before firing past Addai.

Crawley pulled a goal back in added time when Klaidi Lolos got a touch to a cross but it failed to take the shine of a brilliant night's work for Wrexham who are closing in on a second successive promotion.

Wrexham (5-3-2): Okonkwo; Barnett (Bolton 84), Cleworth, O'Connell, O'Connor, McClean; Cannon (Davies 82)w, Evans, Lee; Mullin (Marriott 84), Palmer (Fletcher 75). Subs not used: Howard, Tozer, McFadzean.

Crawley Town (5-3-2): Addai; Gordon (Adeyemo 59), Wright, Conroy, Maguire, Tsaroulla (Forster 59); Williams (Liam Kelly 51), Darcy, Jeremy Kelly (Roles 70); Lolos, Orsi (Campbell 70). Subs not used: Sandford, Mukena.

Attendance: 11,544 (316 from Crawley).