Dragons are left stunned as Saints complete last-gasp fightback

Southampton late show ruins return to the Championship

- By PHIL BLANCHE

WREXHAM suffered a double gut-punch as Southampton struck twice late on for a dramatic 2-1 victory at St Mary's in the Dragons' opening game of their Championship campaign.

Josh Windass put Wrexham ahead on their return to the second tier of English football after a 43-year absence, converting a 22nd-minute penalty when fellow summer recruit Kieffer Moore was fouled.

Southampton two divisions higher than Wrexham last season pushed furiously throughout for reward, but they were fast running out of time when substitute Ryan Manning dispatched a superb 90th-minute free-kick.

Saints were not done, though, as Manning burst down the left in the sixth minute of added time to deliver a cross that Jack Stephens lashed in off the crossbar at the back post and floor the club owned by Hollywood pair Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.