Although two late goals stole the show at St Mary's yesterday, on the balance of play Southampton got what they deserved.
Saints bossed possession, retaining the ball for 75.1% of the time as Wrexham sat in, particularly in the second half.
The south coast side racked-up 27 shots on goal to Wrexham's 10 in a dominant second-half performance while Wrexham put their bodies on the line to defend what they had.
As Will Still pointed out in his post-match interview, “It's not always pretty. It's tough playing against a low block who is so compact, so organised and is throwing everything at it.”
Player Ratings
Gavin Bazunu - 8/10 - Made a match winning save in the 87th minute from Ryan Hardie. Looked assured, playing behind a defence who don't take silly risks in possession anymore. Built on a great pre-season with a top performance.
Yukinari Sugawara - 6/10 - Made an impact in the game with tidy defensive work and a string of crosses. Covered a lot of ground down the right in a solid performance. Replaced by Mateus Fernandes after 60 minutes.
Joshua Quarshie - 8/10 - Quarshie had more touches than anybdy else on the pitch by a long way (106 touches). He won all three of his aerial duels and made the most clearances for his side. His error after 86 minutes led to an attempt on goal for Wrexham which could have changed the outcome. On the whole, a great home debut for a quality young player.
Jack Stephens - 9/10 - Made a brilliant tackle to deny Wrexham a clear chance in the 55th minute before scoring the dramatic late winner. Ensured that Ronnie Edwards wasn't sent off by getting back quickly enough to be the last man when Edwards conceded the penalty.
Ronnie Edwards - 5/10 - A mixed bag for Edwards. He looked very assured in possession and will be an important player for Southampton this season. Allowed Kieffer Moore to get the wrong side of him for Wrexham's penalty but should know better than to put both hands on the back of a forward going through on goal. Replaced by Ross Stewart after 80 minutes when Still through the kitchen sink at getting back into the game.
Welington - 6/10 - Well suited to the tactics that his manager wants to play. Like Sugawara on the right, Welington made an impact going forward and in defence. Positionally, Welington is better than Sugawara in defensive transitions. Had a shot that rippled the near-post side netting when he should really have shot across the goal or shown some composure and crossed the ball.
Flynn Downes - 6/10 - As fiercely competitive as we have come to expect of him. Coming back from an injury so no surprise when he was withdrawn after 72 minutes.
Shea Charles - 7/10 - Probably as important a player as any in the Southampton tea today. He is growing into the role that Still has in mind for him as a box to box midfielder. A quick glance at his touch map reveals just how much ground he covered.
Ryan Fraser - 7/10 - Quickly regaining the respect of Saints fans, Fraser was a thorn in Wrexham's side all afternoon. Hard working and relentlessly aggressive, he is an achetypal Still player. Fraser's role seems to be based around winning the ball back quickly for his side. Once he begins to contribute with goals and assists, he may well become a fans' favourite again at St Mary's.
Jay Robinson- 7/10 - Hit the post with a left-footed effort late in the first half in a mature performance that made a mockery of his tender years. Robinson looked the most likely player in a red and white shirt to open the scoring, registering six shots in total. He will be an important attacking player this season.
Adam Armstrong - 5/10 - Could have equalised for Southampton when he scuffed his shot after latching onto a rebound in the first half. Armstrong understands the value of hitting the target so he will be disappointed with his ratio today, having five shots and only hitting the target once.
Ryan Manning - 9/10 - Scored a worldy of a free-kick to draw the Saints level. Then made a lung-busting run to get on the end of a long ball from Charles before crossing for Stephens to score the winner.
Mateus Fernandes - 8/10 - Had more touches in 30 minutes than any of the Wrexham outfield players did in the entire match. He brought the energy and quality needed to unlock a stubborn defence.
Damion Downes - 5/10 - Had just six touches in the 30 minutes that he was on the field. Had one opportunity late in the match. Looked a presence.
Cameron Archer - 5/10 - Struggled to get a foothold in the game and touched the ball only twice.
Ross Stewart - 5.5/10 - Had a decent 17 minutes, adding to Saints' threat in the final third.