WREXHAM beat Walsall 4-2 in an entertaining clash at The STóK Cae Ras to register a first League Two victory of the season.

Back in the Football League following a 15-year absence, Phil Parkinson's men took one point from the opening two matches.

Getting used to life at a higher level, there was a morale-boosting victory over League Two outfit Wigan Athletic in the Carabao Cup on a penalty shoot-out.

But it was a league win Wrexham supporters wanted most and they got it as goals from Will Boyle, Ollie Palmer, Jake Bickerstaff and Elliot Lee means the Reds are off and running in the fourth tier.

Parkinson made four changes from the side that started Saturday's 1-1 draw with AFC Wimbledon, and he also switched back to a 5-3-2 formation after experimenting with a new system at the weekend.

Anthony Forde replaced Ryan Barnett in the right wing-back position while James Jones and captain Luke Young came back into midfield for Tom O'Connor and Andy Cannon.

With James McClean missing through injury, Bickerstaff lined up in a two-man attack alongside Palmer who was used as a lone striker against the Dons.

Wrexham saw a lot of the ball in the early exchanges and the first chance came in the fifth minute when Forde sent in a cross from the right and Lee's header was tipped over the bar by keeper Owen Evans.

That led to a succession of corners with Boyle, on his home debut, coming close to breaking the deadlock when his header was clawed away by Evans after Young's flag-kick was nodded back across goal to the defender.

However, Wrexham took the lead after eight minutes.

Boyle saw another header cleared off the line, Young put the ball back into the danger-zone and the centre-half planted his header beyond Evans.

Walsall responded with Freddie Draper's shot parried by Reds' goalkeeper Ben Foster who also made a comfortable save from Issac Hutchinson.

However, Wrexham made it 2-0 on 20 minutes in spectacular style.

The ball dropped to Palmer who scored with a looping side-foot volley from just outside the area with Evans stranded off his line.

But Walsall reduced the deficit four minutes later

A well-worked corner finished with Chris Hussey firing home.

Buoyed by the goal, Danny Johnson should have done better when he headed wide while Wrexham hit back with Lee threading a lovely through-ball for Bickerstaff who attempted to round Evans but the goalkeeper blocked his effort.

Palmer only just cleared the bar and Eoghan O'Connell's header was tipped over by Evans as the Reds continued to probe but it remained 2-1 at the break.

Walsall made a lively start to the second half and almost levelled when Ryan Stirk's brilliant volley from 25 yards beat Foster but struck the woodwork, and Donervon Daniels's follow-up was blocked by the Reds' goalkeeper.

Jones' shot parried was parried by Evans at the other end but Wrexham got a much-needed third goal in the 56th minute

Palmer won the ball and fed Jacob Mendy who crossed to Bickerstaff and the striker turned before finishing well to score a deserved first league goal.

Daniels fired just wide for Walsall and Johnson wasn't far away before Wrexham had a couple of chances themselves to put daylight between themselves and the Saddlers.

Lee did well to get a shot away which was saved by Evans while substitute Billy Waters played the ball out to Mendy and got into the area to meet a cross but the striker fired just wide.

However, the fourth goal arrived five minutes from time as Lee found the net with low drive to guarantee victory.

There was a consolation for Walsall in added time when Aramide Oteh converted a cross from the right and Foster made a late save but Wrexham got the win they wanted.

Wrexham (5-3-2): Foster; Forde, O'Connell, Tozer, Boyle, Mendy; Jones, Young, Lee (O'Connor 87); Bickerstaff (Waters 72), Palmer (Dalby 72). Subs not used: Howard, Barnett, Hosannah, Cannon, Waters.

Walsall (3-4-1-2): Evans; Williams, Daniels, Hussey (Oteh 67); Foulkes, McEntee, Stirk (Tierney 67), Gordon (Allen 83); Hutchinson; Draper (Matt 67), Johnson. Subs not used: Smith, Riley, James-Taylor.

Attendance: 10,188 (1,146 from Walsall).