Stars of Disney TV Wrexham arrived at St Mary's with their Hollywood film star owners, but it was not a fairy tale ending for them as Saints stormed to a late late win, that was well deserved.

Wrexham's summer signings told you a lot about how they intend to set up this season, big strong and industrial, with 6 new signings in the starting line up including Conor Coady marshalling the troops at the back, you knew from early on that this would not be a pretty game.

The visitors tactics were quite simple, sit back and bang the ball long at every opportunity.

Saints started nervously and struggled to organise themselves when Wrexham broke away, they paid the price on 22 minutes when Keiffer Moore was left completely unmarked and through on goal, it was the slightest of touches from Ronnie Edwards, but Moore knew his job, the moment he felt the hand on his back he went down.

It was a penalty, a soft one, but you can't push someone in the box without expecting to concede a penalty, or can you ? apparently yes as referee James Bell failed to give Saints several clear penalties and throughout the game looked like he was trying to make sure he got a big part of the episode that features this game.

Saints were struggling to create clear chances and to be honest were lucky not to concede more than one as they kept leaving players unmarked, we truly lacked someone like Conor Coady to organise the defence.

The stats perhaps told the story of the first half and indeed the game, 75.1% possession

The second half had to be better and it started with Saints camped in the Wrexham half but still struggling to create clear chances, on the hour mark came what was hoped to change the game Matteus Fernandes joined the fray and so did Damion Downs.

But Wrexham were holding firm and on 72 minutes on came fresh legs in Archer & Manning, we were not holding back and now Wrexham were holding on, we should have had a penalty, Quarshie clearly had his shirt held as he went for a header, everyone in the ground could see the shirt being stretched so firmly was it held, everyone but the referee.

Ross Stewart on in the 80th minute meant we now had 4 attackers on the pitch, Will Still could not be accused of being too conservative.

But in the 88th it looked like the visitors might complete their smash & grab, Saints can't say the writing wasn't on the wall, Wrexham only had one tactic, it had taken a timely tackle by Jack Stephens who had managed to catch on breakaway earlier and in the final minute Ryan Hardie was through on goal and wasn't caught and it took a vital save from Gavin Bazunu to keep Saints in the game.

As Ryan Manning lined up a free kick in the 90th minute no one was expecting him to score, it was a long way out and no one could remember him taking one before, but score he did to seemingly earn us a draw.

With 6 minutes of injury time we pressed for the winner, but as the clock entered the last of those 6, it looked like we would have to settle for the draw, but up stepped Manning again, this time as the provider, he latched on to a long through ball down the left wing, cut inside his marker and put in a great low cross, Damion Downs couldn't get a touch and neither could his marker and it fell to Jack Stephens at the far post to fire in from close range, he almost missed, it went in off the bar, but it went in to sent the home fans wild.

So the fairy tale ending was for Saints and it was fully deserved, Wrexham looked a side that will be fighting relegation, well drilled and organised, but ultimately lacking quality, but they could well change that with a few new signings.

So what can we glean from this game, firstly that Will Still is a manager who will change his formation when needed and he is not afraid to gamble as he did in the final stages of this game.

In a game where the Disney pantomime came to town, Saints own pantomime villains became the heroes of the hour.

Gavin Bazunu has come under fire from some Saints supporters, but he put in a polished performance and his superb save at the end, meant we were still only a goal behind going into extra time, without that save we surely would have had the stuffing knocked out of us and lost the game.

Ryan Manning has struggled to win the fans over, not many argued with Welington being preferred on the left, but if anyone changed this game it was Manning with his free kick and surging run and cross for the winner.

Jack Stephens has too had his critics, in truth for much of the game we lacked leadership and organisation at the back so there was no change there, but he did make that timely tackle and he deserved to score that vital winner.

When all the excitement has died down though, Will Still has to take a long hard look at his squad and where he needs to strengthen, the number of times Wrexham broke through on goal was worrying and so was the number of chances they had where they were unmarked, on another day we could have been 2 or even 3 down.

Still has to address this, up at the other end Conor Coady showed what leadership and organisation can do, Wrexham had it and we didn't, two late goals papered over the cracks, but they are still there.

Up till the late show, for me Ryan Fraser was the best player in the side and at the heart of most of our attacks, it was good to see him back and with a spring in his step.

Jay Robinson was slightly disappointing for me, he seemed to flit in and out of the game, I don't blame him, I felt that he was in a difficult position to start against a team like Wrexham who had all of their team bar one behind the ball and leaving little room to create chances.

On reflection we would have been better bringing Jay off the bench , but I think Will Still's hand was forced by injuries and a lack of options.

The stats showed the domination we had, as mentioned 75% possession, 27 chances as opposed to the visitors 10 and 10 on target against Wrexham's 2, the second of which was in the final minute.

But there was still the feeling that we weren't firing on all cylinders.

But overall the main thing was to get 3 points from the game and get us up and running for the season and we did that, a little bit of deja vu from two years ago when Che Adams scored a late winner at Sheffield Wednesday.

Like then Will Still knows that his squad will change over the next 3 weeks or so, it will become clear who is staying and who is going and then he can bring in some new faces, so the games in August are not so much about performance, but getting points on the table.

This was an exciting way of doing it, but hopefully it won't be nerve wracking like this every week.

All Photos Via Reuters

WestSussexSaint added 10:03 - Aug 10 Good write up Nick. Now the excitement of the match has died down here are my more objective thoughts: The manager seemed to get most things right during the match including the right subs at the right time. That said I thought his starting XI was a bit defensive and we struggled a bit in the first half to get the control we needed in the first half. Defensively we wobbled but I think much of that was down to the 3 CBs not having played together before. Both Quashie and Edwards looked like good players and will get better with a few more matches. The two starting full backs were pretty anonymous and it was only once we subbed them and changed formation that there was more attacking threat. Great free kick from Manning- have we found our new JWP? I thought Ross Stewart looked a real handful for the Wrexham defence when he came on. More so than Damien Downs. I agree with the points made about Robinson and Fraser. Arma through the middle doesn’t work. Put him out wide which would be harsh on Robinson or Fraser, or drop him with Stewart or Downs being the focal point in attack. Despite the atrocious refereeing, I still don’t miss VAR. Finally last season we witnessed so many games where the team appeared beaten before kick off. So it bodes well to see them fight right to the end although hopefully we can win more games in a more regular manner going forwards.

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Bawdrip added 10:29 - Aug 10 Thought the atmosphere was brilliant and what an ending. A well deserved win. Wrexham started well but tired badly and resorted to time wasting and feigning injuries. Their team is a bit old but should finish mid table I reckon. We do need to tighten up at the back but for entertainment what a great start to the season.
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Colburn added 10:51 - Aug 10 I disagree with your comments on Jay Robinson. This was first game of the season and his first start for us. I thought he did really well, hit the post with a great effort, was a constant threat and showed his passing ability and vision as with the through ball to Fraser, who for me was busy without any real meat. Armstrong struggled and for me is no longer a starter when we have Stewart, Downs and Archer on the bench. His shooting was poor and we could have made this game a lot easier if we had taken one of the first half chances. Jack Stephens made a sliding tackle in the box and chased back when Hardie was though one time and made a last ditch challenge, twice saving us before a brilliant finish on the stretch when the only way to score was off the bat if he really went for it. He showed the courage and leadership in those 3 pivotal moments to silence those who continually criticise him. If we keep what we have from yesterdays squad and add two more players in Fellows and another creator then we’ve got the squad to finish top 2.

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SaintPaulVW added 10:51 - Aug 10 Totally agree on VAR. The ref's bad decisions evened out yesterday, Edwards should have been off but we should have had 2 penalties. After last season getting some early points on the board and the mood lifted in St Mary's was really important. Will Still read the game and used his bench to make that happen. Manning played really well last season, if free kicks are now in the mix, I think he should start. Bazunu even went the right way for the penalty but couldn't quite get there. Defence needs to gel. Quarshie made a few goofs yesterday. I'll put it down to beginners nerves for Edwards, who by all accounts was excellent on loan at QPR last season. Stephens shows why managers have repeatedly picked him. No real errors today and had the nous to be there to get the winner. Charles, Downes and Fernandes could be one of the best midfields in the Championship. Ryan Fraser was all over the place, great to see him back. I agree on Ross Stewart. Thought he was a real handful for Wrexham. COYR a tough season ahead and hopefully we will be in the mix every week.

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SaintPaulVW added 10:54 - Aug 10 PS Jay Robinson is only 18. I agree that starting on the bench is probably the best way to use him but after a MOTM performance against Brighton it was fair to name him as a starter. As you say he was in and out of the game but Wrexham were very organised down the flanks on both sides. Great learning experience for him.
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Avior added 11:19 - Aug 10 Agree with most of your points except Robinson. Yes he came in and out of the game but when he contributed he was a different class. Once he got his marker booked he really showed up. He keeps the ball so close to his feet he is a nightmare to tackle. He looks forward and offers real penetration. If Fernandez goes then he will be the only one and will have to start most games. Thought Quarshie looked really promising, just a bit lazy with his passing. Armstrong was really disappointing, didn't look up for it. Edwards was good on the ball but all over the place positionally. Fraser and Charles good. Not sure if Downes and Charles together works. Stephens very solid but not a Captain. Also I noted THB was on the pitch celebrating at the end like a rat down a drainpipe. Him and Quarshie together could be interesting.

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Bowlercow added 11:29 - Aug 10 Wrexham will frustrate a lot of teams this season with their packed defence Almost full marks to Will. The only change for me would have been to start one of the big fellas as our No 9 Arma likes to play there but two seasons ago RM proved he was more effective as the wide player with 24 goals Who have we got that can be the organiser at the back?It certainly isn't Stephens despite his heroics yesterday THB has done the job at U21 level and. Is now in his third season at this level You do not need the arm band to do it just a sharp brain and a big mouth

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mgprobert added 11:35 - Aug 10 Very good write up - exactly as I saw it.. and why oh why did we not jump in and get Coady - youre right, he is exactly what Saints need and have done for a while. I’m not getting carried away - its fine margins as always and another day that could have been 0-3
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kristianJ added 12:10 - Aug 10 Generally a fair assessment, although I think you are a bit harsh on Robinson. He was always looking to create stuff and whilst it didn’t always come off against a well organised and physical backline he kept going and was very unlucky not to score. As others have said I think Still’s one mistake was starting Armstrong up top. We should have had RS, DD or CA up there as AA just isn’t able to compete physically and he blew about 3 decent chances. The other disappointment was Sugawara, this formation really should have suited him but I thought he was largely ineffectual. We could really do with a right back or right wingback before the transfer window closes. With THB hopefully coming back then this should steady ship at the back. I think we should the 3 CBs a bit of slack as they haven’t really played this formation before and it’ll take time to bed in.

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highfield49 added 12:25 - Aug 10 As ever, some very balanced posts highlighting the pros and cons of both individual and team performance performance. Two things that stood out for me were the the performance of Stephens which was pretty much error free and crucial at key moments, a big thumbs up from one of your long time critics. Secondly, I couldn't see that Tyler Dibling would have enhanced the performance and maybe he should reflect that media hype doesn't always make you a star. Never forget how brutal the pundits can be when you're sitting on the bench after a big money move and fail to adapt. Other than that I, also, felt that Armstrong knew that he'd not played well and probably out of position. On the other hand it may be that he hasn't anything left to give and should consider a move to get his game back on track? He may reflect, on yesterday's performance, that he isn't going to be a first choice pick with Stewart, Downs and Archer all looking much sharper. Anyway, a well deserved result and whereas we've so often failed to break down teams parking the bus quality and fitness paid dividends yesterday. Onwards and upwards.

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hutchie53 added 12:37 - Aug 10 Well done for the first win. Very tight game. We need an attacking right back who can defend (unlike Sugawarra) We should take a look at CONNER BARRETT Walsall f.c. Young and very promising !
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Flamingbankers added 12:42 - Aug 10 I thought Robinson had an excellent game: rather than 'flitting' I thought he played well on the left, involving several intrusive, dangerous moves, and then did the same on the right in the second half. If the player ratings are to be believed, so did many other fans. He also hit the bar from a decent move. The other great plus was that Robinson played his first full 90 minutes for the first team - great decision by Will Still.

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ClintWestwood added 20:58 - Aug 10 Slightest of touches by Ronnie Edwards? Come on! It was a double handed push! .
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ItchenNorth added 22:11 - Aug 10 Harsh on Jay Robinson. He looked good, their keeper had to make a good save from him and later in that first half, Jay also hit the post. He was turning players inside you nearly everytime he took the ball forward. For me, it looks apparent that Will Still wants to play it wide and get lots of crosses into the box, so it was puzzling not starting either Downs or Stewart in the no 9 position. If he believed neither could play a full 90 minutes yet, fine, but they can both in turn be that focal point. It worked out in the end though and, wow, two goals in the final 6 minutes to win it was fun.

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FrankSaint added 22:29 - Aug 10 I would like to highlight how much Manning has come on as a player. This match was another step forward. Watching on a stream in the close up on his face as he waited to take that free kick he looked like he knew exactly what he wanted to do. And that free kick was perfect. It was Le Tiss class. He just clipped it with his instep. And his assist was perfect too. The way he took that angled pass on his chest and under pressure was really classy. Hats off to the guy.

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Peterx added 09:36 - Aug 11 Not gelling yet at the back, but give them time. Shea and Flynn in midfield look like an awesome combination. Hats off to Fraser for giving it everything and being very lively, Jay looks like a serious prospect, Manning is better than most gave him credit for but I also think Welington and Sugawara can improve and we have the basis for good players. We are stacked up front but I would still start Arma on the right with Ross Stewart through the middle and Fraser roving or on the left with Jay first change and impact player for now. Downs to be given time and cameos to get up to speed. Can't see how BBD gets playing time other than cup games if all stay fit. Can understand why Joe and Smallbone are on the market, seems he wants players with more pace that those offer, especially if the youngster who did not make the bench becomes the backup DM/Utility midfielder instead of them. Keep Matty and sign the other attacking midfielder and we are super strong for this league.

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onetowatch added 12:15 - Aug 11 It was uplifting to see that we have a manager prepared to change things, and even gamble when thing aren't working, but I'm sure he'll be looking to not have to endup with 4 up front every week!! Really surprised with a couple of negative comments re Flynn. If there's 1 area we are looking good in, it's midfield. FD and SC must be in each week, then obviously MF for as long as we have him, and RF looked very energetic and always looking to get forward. Really disappointing was our starting full backs. Wellington is young, yes, but he should know already not to commit so early, and Sugawara should know how to take a throw in by now - twice, in a few minutes, the 2nd of which led to Wrexham breaking away and ending up with a penalty, he threw the ball, not to feet, which he could have, but to somewhere between chest and head height, basics!! He also looked poor going forward, we definitely will miss KWP. Great atmosphere, good energy throughout the team, but some tweaking needed to make such dominant possession count for something.

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