Ollie Palmer scored one and set up another as Wrexham stormed to a dominant win at ten-man Crewe in the Red Dragons’ final away game of the season.
Palmer headed promoted Wrexham in front against the play-off chasing Railwaymen before teeing up Paul Mullin to double the lead before half-time.
Ryan Cooney was then sent off for deliberate handball, as he stopped Mullin from running in on goal, before Andy Cannon coolly added a third goal for Wrexham.
After sealing promotion with last weekend’s 6-0 win against Forest Green Rovers, manager Phil Parkinson stuck with largely the same starting XI – Luke Young replacing the injured George Evans in the only change.
There was a party atmosphere in the Ice Cream Van Stand, with Wrexham fans – some in fancy dress – packing the away end and in great voice.
On the pitch, Crewe were quickest off the mark but Aaron Rowe’s early shot was straight at Arthur Okonkwo inside the first minute.
At the other end, Paul Mullin and Andy Cannon both had half-chances blocked by defenders in the 18th minute.
A minute later, Luke Young’s free-kick found Eoghan O’Connell at the back post but his header was well off target.
Palmer’s looping header gave Wrexham the lead on 24 minutes, however – stooping low to meet Paul Mullin’s left-footed cross and heading into the far corner.
A loose ball dropped for Palmer wide on the right on 32 minutes, and the striker tried a spectacular half-volley, but Max Stryjek saved and held.
Tensions nearly boiled over on the stroke of half-time, when Rowe caught McClean with a leading arm and the Irishman reacted angrily. Both players and Crewe’s Zac Williams, who joined the fracas, were all booked as a result.
From the resultant Tom O’Connor free-kick, though, Palmer flicked the long ball on and Mullin raced onto it to lob Stryjek and double Wrexham’s lead.
Callum McFadzean replaced McClean at the interval and it was the number three’s pass which was intercepted in the 51st minute for Elliott Nevitt to run into the area and shoot – Okonkwo saving low.
Elliot Lee won possession in midfield and drove at the Crewe defence on 52 minutes, shooting low from the edge of the box, but Stryjek saved well at full stretch.
A minute later, Ryan Barnett swung a deep cross to the back post and Lee got above the defender, but his header was saved.
Crewe were then reduced to ten men on 54 minutes, when Mullin and Cooney chased a long ball and the defender clearly handballed – earning a straight red card.
Wrexham were firmly in the ascendancy, and Mullin twice shot wide on his left foot before a moment of brilliance from Lee unlocked the Crewe defence for Cannon to score the third.
Lee’s perfect through ball set Cannon away, and he cut inside onto his right foot to coolly slot the ball beyond Stryjek and in.
Palmer and Mullin made way for Steven Fletcher and Jack Marriott midway through the second-half.
Marriott’s first contribution was to run onto a long ball over the top and square for Young but the Wrexham captain’s shot deflected wide.
Marriott then had a shot of his own deflected, before Fletcher’s curling, left-footed shot was saved and held.
For Crewe, substitute Charlie Finney headed onto the roof of the net on 75 minutes as the hosts sought a way back into the game.
Wrexham brought on Luke Bolton and Jordan Davies for Barnett and Cannon in their final changes of the afternoon.
Fletcher found Marriott away to his left on 77 minutes but, on his left foot, he shot powerfully wide of the near post.
Fletcher then volleyed goalwards from Lee’s superb cross-field pass on 83 minutes, but Stryjek got down well to save.
O'Connor nearly added a fourth in the third minute of stoppage time, shooting just wide across goal when Young's cross deflected to him.
The Red Dragongs had to settle for three, however, moving onto 85 points from a memorable season with next week's final game at home to Stockport to come.
Line-ups
Crewe Alex (4-1-4-1): Stryjek, Cooney, Williams, Demetriou, Adebisi, Tabiner (Tracey 62), Rowe (Finney 69), Billington, Holicek, Austerfield, Nevitt (Kirk 87)
Subs: Lenarcik (G/K), Long, Kempster-Down, Agius
Wrexham (3-5-2): Okonkwo, Cleworth, O’Connell, O’Connor, Barnett (Bolton 76), Young, Cannon (Davies 76), Lee, McClean (McFadzean 46), Mullin (Marriott 66), Palmer (Fletcher 66)
Subs: Howard (G/K), Tozer
Referee: Sebastien Stockbridge
Attendance: 9,033
Bookings
Crewe: Rowe (45, foul), Williams (45, ungentlemanly conduct)
Wrexham: McClean (45, ungentlemanly conduct)
Sent off
Crewe: Cooney (54, deliberate handball)