Wrexham striker Ollie Palmer scored two goals in the space of a minute in stoppage time then converted one of the team’s penalties in their dramatic shootout win over Hull in the English League Cup on Tuesday.
The Welsh club owned by Hollywood celebrities Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney looked to be heading out in the first round when trailing 3-1 at the start of added-on time.
Then Palmer, on as a 69th-minute substitute, converted headers in the first and second minutes of stoppage time to make it 3-3 and take the game to a shootout.
Wrexham won it 5-3 to advance.
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After three straight promotions, Wrexham — now globally renowned after its 2021 takeover and the “Welcome to Wrexham” fly-on-the-wall documentary — is playing in the second-tier Championship for the first time since the 1980s and opened the season with a 2-1 loss at Southampton on Saturday.
Palmer has played a leading role in the documentary but has fallen down the pecking order of strikers over the past two years.
It was a balmy evening in north Wales and anticipation among the home fans was high following their side’s return to the second tier.
But fellow Championship side Hull had not read the script.
Oli McBurnie went close to opening the scoring after 10 minutes when he headed wide from a Ryan Giles free-kick and Nathan Tinsdale had a shot blocked.
Wrexham settled into the game and Harry Ashfield had a volley blocked before Ryan Hardie shot straight at Dillon Phillips.
McBurnie looked a constant threat at the other end and went close when he weaved through the area and forced a good save from Arthur Okonkwo.
The hosts claimed the lead as Elliot Lee sent the defence the wrong way with a drop of the shoulder and beat Phillips with help from a big deflection.
The advantage lasted just five minutes as Hull replied with a slick attack.
Cody Drameh broke from deep and continued his run to receive a return pass from Joe Gelhardt. He then pulled the ball back across goal and McBurnie slid in to flick past Okonkwo.
Wrexham should have restored their advantage in the opening moments of the second half but the unmarked Hardie headed wide from Ryan Longman’s inviting cross.
Hull enjoyed another good spell but Okonkwo twice saved from the dangerous Kasey Palmer before Ashfield shot narrowly wide for the Red Dragons.
Hull grabbed the lead after 70 minutes as Joel Ndala, having been on the field just eight minutes, raced on to a cross from Gelhardt and thumped home from close range.
Such was the force of the shot that it rebounded back on to the field, creating an optical illusion to many in the ground that Okonkwo had saved.
But Ndala was in no doubt and peeled off to celebrate in silence with his teammates before, eventually, the Hull fans processed what had occurred.
Hull looked to have won it nine minutes from time when Crooks turned in from close range but Wrexham rallied incredibly in the closing stages.
Palmer, summoned off the bench, proved he can still do a job with two stunning headers in quick succession in stoppage time to take the tie to penalties.
Information from The Associated Press and PA Sport was used in this report.