PHIL PARKINSON explained his decision to restore star striker Paul Mullin to his starting XI and omit leading scorer Jack Marriott for the first time in League One this season.

Marriott scored four goals in the opening six games but was named on the substitutes bench for Saturday's 2-1 win over Crawley Town at The Racecourse which kept Wrexham top of the table.

However, Mullin, who underwent spinal surgery in the middle of June to correct a long-term lower-back and hamstring issue, meaning he was absent for the start of the campaign, replaced Marriott in attack at the weekend.

It was Mullin's first league start this term and the Reds' boss says both striker have got key roles to play.

"I just felt that for us going forward, those two are so important players for us," said Parkinson, who introduced Marriott for Mullin in the 71st minute.

"We haven't got a 'this is our starting XI' situation going on and I just felt that a bit of freshness at the top of the pitch would be important.

"We went with Paul but Jack has been brilliant and he knows that.

"He has come a long way for us since pre-season, he has done well and I don't want him to get too disappointed because any striker knows that managers around the country change strikers around during games and from game to game to get that extra bit of sharpness at the top of the pitch.

"And if you think how much training the lads did in pre-season and how many games they have had, Paul needs the minutes so that will do him good but Jack will be ready when called upon again.

"It's not like we are saying Paul is ahead of Jack or vice-versa, as a manager you have got to make decisions sometimes and Paul was tiring as we thought he would do in that period, Jack came on and gave us a lift when we needed it the most and nearly scored an outstanding goal."