- ريكسهام lose 2-1 at Southampton
- Late Manning and Stephens goals
- Windass scores for visitors
Wrexham initially picked up where they left off after their الدوري الأول promotion with a street-wise and slick start at St Mary’s on Saturday. Right from the off, they went toe to toe with a side that was relegated from the الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز just a few months ago.
Conor Coady missed a big chance when he volleyed over from inside the six-yard box, and then fellow summer recruit Josh Windass’ superb 20-yard effort crashed against the crossbar.
At the other end, new signing Danny Ward made smart stops from Jay Steven Robinson and Adam Armstrong as the Welsh outfit maintained their reputation for a strong defensive line after keeping 24 clean sheets last season.
Wrexham’s transfer team would have been licking their lips when Kieffer Moore drove into the box, won a penalty after Ronnie Edwards clumsily fouled him, and Windass scored from the spot in the 22nd minute.
The visitors, who also saw Lewis Brunt’s header nestle on the roof of the net, breathed a sigh of relief just before half-time when Robinson’s effort from a tight angle hit the post, and then Coady did brilliantly to twice deny Armstrong from point-blank range.
In the second half, Wrexham were content to let Will Still’s team have the lion’s share of possession and hit them on the counter-attack as the home fans – who howled in anger at referee James Bell’s officiating – pleaded for an equaliser.
Those protests did not go away when Joshua Quarshie appealed for a penalty after having his shirt pulled by Sam Smith, but it came to nothing. Wrexham nearly got a second, only for Gavin Bazunu to pull off what would be a match-saving stop to keep out Ryan Hardie’s bobbling shot.
Soon after, the away team were denied a famous victory when substitute Ryan Manning fizzed in a brilliant free-kick in the 90th minute from 25 yards. To make matters worse, Jack Stephens scored a 96th-minute winner as he punished some slack defending at the death.
In the end, Wrexham were made to pay for not being proactive enough and sitting too deep as they invited Saints pressure. This one will be tough to swallow for Phil Parkinson and his players, who missed Moore’s presence up front.
While Moore was a nuisance up front, Windass showed plenty of quality, Ward impressed in goal, and midfielder, Lewis O’Brien was here, there, and everywhere, Coady put in a quality performance. Although his team came away without a point, the former Leicester City man didn’t really put a foot wrong. But Manning was the difference maker of the bench for Southampton.
Wrexham boss Parkinson will be kicking himself for letting this result slip away right at the death. His substitutes did not have the desired effect and they got too defensive as the match wore on. A teachable moment for the manager.
For Parkinson’s Wrexham, they take on fellow بطولة جانب Hull City in the first round of the كأس كاراباو on Tuesday, whereas Still’s Southampton are away to League One Northampton on the same night.
