Opener: Andy Parkinson Opened The Scoring With A Fine Finish

Notts County returned to winning ways in League Two after a fourteen-day break from League action following their Carling and FA Cup matches, and it was thanks to Andy Parkinson and Jason Lee's strikes that the Magpies claimed a 2-1 win over Wrexham at Meadow Lane.

After having the better of the opening period Notts took the lead on thirty-seven minutes through Andy Parkinson who got on the end of a fine pass by Junior Mendes to thunder the ball home beyond Michael Ingham.

The three points looked in the bag for Notts on the hour when Jason Lee converted his seventh of the season from close range, but Wrexham pulled a goal back through Chris Llewellyn from close range with a header to bring the visitors back into things and ensured a few nervous moments for Notts including one where Pilkington made a fine save from the attackers header from a Roche cross from the right.

New signings Jay Smith and Daryl McMahon were named on the bench with Dan Gleeson in for Gary Silk the only change to the side which was beaten 2-1 at Leyton Orient in the FA Cup last weekend. Lawrie Dudfield, who scored in that game after coming off the bench, was again a sub.

The game started at a very high tempo from both sides with Wrexham almost opening the scoring inside the first minute when a throw-in founds its way to John Johnson who ran into the area and eventually got a shot in at goal, but it was straight at Pilkington who saved easily.

Jason Lee almost got on the end of a Pipe cross a minute later from the right after Ian Ross picked out the Notts wide man well in some space, but Ingham dived bravely at the feet of Lee to grab the ball. Ross minutes later tested the palms of Ingham with a long-range effort, but the goalkeeper gathered the ball easily.

Notts were applying plenty of early pressure with Pipe enjoying plenty of space down the right, allowing him to run at the Wrexham defence and provide plenty of crosses into the box.

After fine play by Parkinson down the left on sixteen minutes, Ingham made his first real testing save of the game with Mendes onto the end of Parkinson's lay-off to lash a long-range effort at goal which the goalkeeper got across to palm away well.

At the other end of a fairly end-to-end game Johnson lost his marker Gleeson after good switching of the play, but after miss-controlling the ball he lashed wide.

On twenty-one Pipe delivered another good cross from the right towards Mendes who was in space, but he was stretching to reach the ball and he could not aim the effort on goal and he could only head wide.

Johnson should really have put the visitors ahead on thirty-three after he held off the attentions of White to run in at goal from the left-hand side, but he over-ran the ball which allowed Pilkington to gather the ball and clear the ball forwards. He again tired from range moments later, but Pilkington got across to grab the shot as it bobbled along the turf.

On thirty-seven though, it was Notts who opened the scoring with a fine goal well taken by Andy Parkinson. A fine run by Mendes advancing towards goal saw him spot the run of Parkinson who ran along the line to stay onside to reach Mendes' fine pass, and he tucked the ball home by lashing the shot beyond Ingham who was left with no chance as Parkinson buried his second goal of the season.

Johnson almost nipped onto a poor back-header by White just before the break, but Pilkington did well to make the winger push the ball wide, allowing Notts time to get back and clear the danger.

Half Time: Notts County 1-0 Wrexham

Second Strike: Jason Lee Netted Notts' Second

No changes were made by either side at the break, with the first real piece of noteworthy action being a booking for Jason Lee for an off-the-ball incident, with Lee picking up his ninth booking of the season.

Parkinson, clearly lifted by his well-taken goal, was a real threat down the left and he fired the first shot of the second period just wide after fine work down the left which allowed him to come inside and curl an effort not too far wide of Ingham's left-hand post.

After more fine play by Parkinson just before the hour Mendes almost bagged a fine team goal with a powerful drive from around twelve yards out after Parkinson lay the ball into the striker's path, but Mendes threw himself at the ball to turn it away with a great block.

Following Wrexham pressure, Notts broke away on the hour to score a fine goal with Jason Lee tucking the ball away. Pipe did superbly well to block a Wrexham clearance and run towards goal, and having drawn a Dragons defender towards him it allowed room for Lee to run into space and he stretched to tuck the ball into the far corner with his left foot.

It was Lee's seventh of the season, and a tidy finish too to put daylight between Notts and the visitors. However, it wasn't too long before Wrexham pulled themselves back into the game through Chris Llewellyn who headed home from a few yards out to put Denis Smith's side back in contention.

The dangerous Johnson did well down the left to beat both Gleeson and Edwards before delivering a fine cross which the Welshman headed home with Pilkington totally stranded. It clearly rocked Notts and Wrexham quickly earned a number of corners, and had it not been for Pilkington's fine diving save to deny Llewellyn it could have been 2-2 very quickly.

Steve Thompson quickly moved to address the problem with Daryl McMahon handed his debut with twenty-two minutes to go in place of Dan Gleeson with Pipe moving to right-back, Parkinson to the right wing and McMahon to the left wing.

Ross almost bagged his first Notts goal on seventy-two, but he lashed wide after Mendes lay the chance on for the creative midfielder. He was moments later replaced by Jay Smith for his debut appearance, slotting into the middle of the park alongside Somner.

Neither side were able to stamp their authority on things as the game reached its conclusion, but after allowing Wrexham back into things Notts were looking more solid at the back.

Dudfield came on for Mendes for the final four minutes in attack as a fresh option, and he won a handful of free-kicks to ease the pressure and kill time to help Notts on their way to their first win on home turf in League Two since the end of September when Junior Mendes' goal saw off Stockport. One final moment of drama saw the visitors win a corner in injury time with goalkeeper Ingham up for the set-play, but Jones headed wide to everyone's relief in the Notts stands.

It was vital for Notts to get back to winning ways no matter how they did it, and on home turf too it will certainly install some of the confidence back into the squad as they prepare for the game against high-flyers Walsall next Saturday.

Notts used the ball well at times and certainly looked a threat going forward with the high-tempo sessions focused on certainly paying off especially in the opening stages with Pipe and Parkinson looking in very dangerous down the flanks.

Full Time: Notts County 2-1 Wrexham