Wrexham moved back into League One’s automatic promotion places after a 3-0 win over Exeter.

Headers from Max Cleworth, Ollie Palmer and Ollie Rathbone ensured victory at the Racecourse and meant the hosts leapfrogged Birmingham following their loss to Shrewsbury.

Cleworth’s early close-range effort was blocked but he made no mistake with a seventh-minute glancing header from Elliot Lee’s corner.

Lee appeared to score Wrexham’s second from James McClean’s corner after 20 minutes but it was disallowed for a foul.

But the second arrived soon after when Palmer headed home Ryan Barnett’s fantastic 25th-minute cross following a flowing move.

Exeter’s Caleb Watts thought he had halved the deficit before half-time but was flagged offside.

Wrexham goalkeeper Callum Burton kept out Jack Aitchison’s low effort and Josh Magennis’ header before the hour in quick succession.

Rathbone headed in Wrexham’s third from McClean’s 72nd-minute corner while Palmer later came close to curling in a fourth and substitute Paul Mullin’s acrobatic effort flew over.