STRIKE duo Steven Fletcher and Paul Mullin scored in the second half as Wrexham beat AFC Wimbledon 2-0 at The Racecourse.

Far from their best in the first half, the high-flying Reds came good after the break and registered another home win against the Dons, who started the day sitting seventh in the table.

Victory took Phil Parkinson's men up to second in League Two, still two points behind leaders Stockport County with a game in hand, while Mansfield dropped to third after drawing their game.

Parkinson named the same side that started last Sunday's 1-0 win against cross-border rivals Shrewsbury in the FA Cup third round tie at The Croud Meadow.

There was a place on the substitutes bench for striker Ollie Palmer who missed the the previous five games because of a calf injury.

Wimbledon made the early running and Aron Sasu fired wide in the second minute before centre-back Max Cleworth made a vital interception in the area to deny Josh Davison a tap-in.

Wrexham hadn't got into their stride as Wimbledon continued their bright start and Sasu clipped the top of the crossbar before Davison headed narrowly wide.

A better spell followed for Wrexham, although Tom O'Connor cleared the bar by some distance with the first sight of goal for the Reds.

The Reds' first attempt on target came in the 44th minute when Elliot Lee's header from Anthony Forde's cross was comfortably claimed by goalkeeper Alex Bass.

Ben Tozer's throw-in was nodded on by Fletcher for Paul Mullin who headed over in injury time and it remained goalless at the break.

Wrexham were given a let-off two minutes into the second half when Tozer failed to cut-off a through-ball but Davison, who was one-on-one with goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, fired wide.

The Reds responded by going close to making the breakthrough themselves.

Lee's drive was blocked by the legs of Bass and Fletcher's follow-up hit the top of the bar, but Wimbledon again went close when Lee made a crucial block to thwart James Tilley who had driven forward.

However, Wrexham took the lead in the 61st minute.

James McClean whipped in a corner to the far post where Fletcher smashed the ball home to move onto six goals this season.

It got even better for Wrexham who made it 2-0 on 69 minutes.

After good work by Fletcher, McClean's cross wasn't dealt with by the Wimbledon defence and Mullin took advantage by firing past Bass for his 12th goal of the campaign.

Wrexham continued to press and Mullin headed straight at Bass from McClean's cross while O'Connor wasn't far away with a free-kick, but the Reds had done enough.

Wrexham (5-3-2): Okonkwo; Forde (Barnett 70), Cleworth, Tozer, O'Connor, McClean; Cannon (Jones 82), Evans, Lee; Fletcher (Dalby 70), Mullin (Palmer 89). Subs not used: Howard, Boyle, McFadzean.

AFC Wimbledon (4-4-2): Bass; Biler, Lewis, Johnson, Currie; Tilley, Little, Reeves, Sasu; Davison, Ball (McLean 84). Subs not used: Tzanev, Hallard, Sutcliffe, Williams, Kalambayi, Ogundere.

Attendance: 12,478 (1,119 from Wimbledon).