Craig Mackail-Smith bagged his first Peterborough United hat-trick as Wrexham were comprehensively in the first round of the FA Cup at London Road.

Peterborough United made a fine start the first round tie an opened the scoring within the first two minutes as a looping cross from George Boyd was headed past Antony Williams in the Wrexham goal by Craig MACKAIL-SMITH.

Wrexham nearly made an instant response as Chris Llewellyn had time and space to fire an effort at goal which took a slight deflection and dropped out for a corner kick.

Boyd wasted a presentable opportunity to make it 2-0 on four minutes after Claude Gnakpa's cross had failed to be cleared but the winger saw his effort drift inches past the post.

The lively Mackail-Smith dragged a shot wide of the target as the open nature of this game continued with the visitors looking nervous in possession at the back.

The pace of Mackail-Smith was a constant early thorn in the Wrexham defence and he skipped past Richard Hope before seeing his finish smothered by Williams.

The chances continued to be created after a delightful cross field ball from Micah Hyde, Whelpdale delivered a teasing centre which Mclean couldn't direct goal wards.

Frenchman Gnakpa produced a fine last ditch tackle to deny Matty Done, as Wrexham countered at pace and in truth the visitors were improving as the game progressed with Posh struggling to maintain their early fast paced start.

Goalkeeper Mark Tyler made a fine save on 32 minutes to deny Eifion Williams after the striker's good movement saw him evade the Posh centre halves.

Posh made it 2-0 on 40 minutes and it was a comical piece of defending from the visitors as Hope and Williams left the ball to each other with disastrous consequences and left MACKAIL-SMITH to slot the ball into the back of the empty net.

Whelpdale flashed a shot wide of the target on 43 minutes after more poor defending from Brian Carey's men as Posh looked to add a third before the break.

Aaron Mclean flashed a shot over the bar on the stroke of half tome which would have summed up the superiority that Darren Ferguson's men enjoyed.

It Was 3-0 to Posh on the 51 minutes and it was a hat-trick for striker Craig MACKAIL-SMITH who raced onto a sublime pass form George Boyd to poke the ball past goalkeeper Williams and make the game more comfortable.

Winger Whelpdale glanced a Boyd cross wide of the post just after the hour mark as the one-way traffic continued with Wrexham trying hard to soak up the pressure.

Posh had the chance to go 4-0 up on 64 minutes when Mclean drilled a cross in to the path of Whelpdale but scuffed his effort wide of the target. At the other end, Silivio Spann fired a speculative effort wide of the target before Wrexham profited from some awful defending and the rash piece of goalkeeping from Mark Tyler who allowed Neil ROBERTS to prod the ball past him and into an unguarded net. This seemed to spur the visitors into life and Tyler had to save from Done as Posh dropped in tempo.

Mackail-Smith squandered a heading opportunity to make it four 72 minutes parrying an effort over the bar after a Gnakpa cross. At the other end Tyler made a superb one-handed save to deny the marauding Spender who had ghosted past two defenders.

The hardworking Garret fired a 25 yard effort over the bar before boss Ferguson decided to make a switch with Josh Low entering the fray.

Craig Mackail-Smith received a standing ovation from Posh fans after being substituted for Rene Howe on 83minutes after scoring his first hat-trick of his Posh career.

Substitute Charlie Lee could have made an immediate impact when he headed a Hyde cross over the bar before Rene Howe saw a shot blocked by Ryan Valentine.

Gareth Evans headed a late corner over the bar for Wrexham as the game entered the final five minutes.

Posh made it 4-1 four minutes from time as Aaron MCLEAN was given plenty of time and space in the penalty area to fire home past a hapless Williams.

Roberts was denied by Tyler on 88 minutes as Wrexham sensed a consolation strike but it was a comfortable stop by the Posh shot stopper. Howe did find the back of the net in stoppage time, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Final Score: Peterborough United 4-1 Wrexham

Referee: Mr M Thorpe (Suffolk)
Attendance: 4,266 (293 Wrexham fans)