PHIL PARKINSON was proud as his Wrexham side stood "toe-to-toe" with Premier League giants Chelsea in their latest pre-season runout.

The Reds played out a 2-2 draw at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

With co-chairman Rob McElhenney in attendance, Phil Parkinson's side trailed at the break but then turned things around as Luke Bolton and Jack Marriott put the Reds ahead in the second half at the home of NFL franchise, the San Francisco 49ers.

However, Chelsea - playing their first match under new manager Enzo Maresca following his switch from Leicester City - scored a late equaliser as an entertaining friendly ended all-square.

Parkinson told the club's YouTube channel: "Listen, we've taken on a team tonight, a club which has probably spent a billion pounds over the last couple of transfer windows and we've gone toe-to-toe with them.

"Improved as the game went on. First half, good out of possession.

"We felt we could do better on the ball ourselves and the second half, I thought we married both sides of the game together really well and got the two goals.

"Could it have been better? Of course, we could have won it.

"Dalbs (Sam Dalby) got fouled leading up to the goal, which the linesman flagged for but the ref didn't give it.

"But, listen, that's a hell of a shift the lads have put in tonight and obviously very pleased."

The result made it back-to-back draws versus top flight opposition, following Saturday's 1-1 outcome versus AFC Bournemouth.

Parkinson added: "Obviously, the gulf in clubs, two years ago we were in the National League.

"We're building slowly but surely as a club and Chelsea are an established club, normally compete in the Champions League most years and Bournemouth obviously being in the Premiership for a lot of years.

"So, just great for the lads, you know, to come up against better players and it's not just the defensive side of it.

"It's on the ball that you've got to be that split-second sharper and I felt we really upped our game in that second period and there was some really, really good performances from us and obviously Bolts getting the goal, it was great.

"But Ollie (Palmer) making that selfless near post run and obviously Jack's finish was an outstanding one and they made 10 changes at half-time and we kind of stood strong in that period and then our own subs gave us an impetus ourselves.

"I thought the front two were a real handful when they came on."