It was a finish straight out of a Hollywood script, as Saints rescued victory from the jaws of defeat.
Will Still’s side had dominated large portions of the game at St Mary’s, but looked to be headed for a harsh loss, following a Josh Windass penalty midway through the first half.
But substitute Manning produced a sensational strike from 30 yards with time ticking down to level the scores, before Stephens slid in at the back post six minutes into added time to complete the sensational recovery and earn a big three points on the opening day of the season.
The first teamsheet of Still’s tenure as Saints boss saw him go with Gavin Bazunu between the sticks and a back three of Ronnie Edwards, Stephens and summer signing Joshua Quarshie. They were supported by wing backs Yuki Sugawara and Welington, while in midfield Flynn Downes partnered Shea Charles, who made his first start for the club in more than a year, after his loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday last season.
Adam Armstrong was also back in the starting line-up after his loan at West Brom during the second half of the previous campaign, with Ryan Fraser and Jay Robinson joining him in the forward line.
St Mary’s welcomed in a new season, as the 2025-26 campaign got under way (Photo: Chris Moorhouse)
Backed by a brilliant St Mary’s crowd, Saints were on the attack right from the off and, within 45 seconds, Fraser was bearing down on the Wrexham area, cutting onto his right foot and bending a shot a yard or so wide of the far post from 20 yards.
It was not one-way traffic, though, and Wrexham soon settled. They had a fantastic chance to take the lead on eight minutes too, as Windass delivered a fine cross from a deep position following a short corner routine, but Conor Coady’s outstretched leg could only turn it over from inside the six-yard box.
A reprieve for Saints, and they almost took full advantage of it soon after, as Robinson’s pass to Charles set him running towards the Wrexham box, with a clever, slipped pass to his left finding the run of Welington in support, but his shot from inside the area was just the wrong side of the near post.
Seconds later, the action swung back to the other end of the pitch, where Windass again showed his quality, cutting onto his right foot outside the corner of the area and whipping a shot towards the far corner that gave Bazunu no chance, but fortunately hit the bar and went over.
Both sides looked well capable of scoring the opening goal, and Saints again went close, this time on 18 minutes, as Robinson drew a good save from Wrexham keeper Danny Ward after Charles had found him in a dangerous spot in the area, with Downes then seeing a shot from the subsequent melee deflected inches over the bar.
The trading of blows continued, and the next one landed, as Wrexham took the lead midway through the half.
Windass’s pass from just inside his own half set Kieffer Moore running clear, and, as he slowed in the area and felt the hands of Edwards on his back, he tumbled to the ground, doing enough to persuade referee James Bell to award a penalty, with Windass firing the subsequent spot kick into the corner, low and to Bazunu’s left.
Josh Windass converts from the spot for Wrexham (Photo: Matt Watson)
The visitors could well have scored a second on the half-hour mark when a Lewis O’Brien free-kick from a deep position on the inside left found the head of Lewis Brunt, but he put his header just over from a great position.
Regaining composure, Saints set about erasing the deficit in the closing minutes of the half, with Armstrong turning in the area and hitting a snapshot straight at Ward after Downes had forced the ball into the box.
With five minutes left before the break, they had a big shout for a penalty of their own turned down as Robinson looked to have a case for being unfairly clipped and felled by Wrexham captain Matty James, but it was one of a number of decisions the hosts felt didn’t go in their favour during the opening period.
Fraser then went close to equalising on 42 minutes, sliding to reach a Robinson pass towards the near post and hooking the ball goalwards, only for Ward to get enough on the clever effort to deflect it wide of the far post.
Saints’ best opportunity of the half came with almost the final action of it, as Stephens produced a wicked, first-time cross from deep that found Robinson racing in at the back post. He stretched to reach it, sending the ball back across goal, only for it to come back off the post. The rebound fell to Armstrong, whose first-time effort was somehow cleared off the line by Coady, with the Wrexham defender then managing to block the striker’s subsequent effort and force it behind.
Adam Armstrong went close to bringing Saints level moments before half time (Photo: Chris Moorhouse)
Half time brought no changes for either side, and Saints continued in exactly the same fashion as they had finished the first period, applying significant pressure to their opponents.
They were so close to levelling the scores within two minutes of the restart, as a slick move down the right sent Charles into the area, with the midfielder cutting smartly onto his left foot before seeing his shot hit the hand of defender Max Cleworth, sending the ball spinning just wide of the near post. And any hopes of a penalty for handball were quickly extinguished, as Bell pointed for a corner.
Saints kept pushing and had another opportunity in the 55th minute, as Charles headed a Robinson cross straight at Ward, before Armstrong flashed an effort across the face of goal soon after.
There was a big cheer from the home crowd on 58 minutes as Mateus Fernandes was called back from his warm-up to get ready for being introduced, with summer signing Damion Downs also sent on, as Sugawara and Armstrong made way for the substitutes.
Robinson created an opening on 68 minutes, showing great balance and footwork to spin 25 yards out and dance his way into the area, but his final shot didn’t have enough power to trouble Ward.
Fernandes then took aim just after, with a low shot from outside the area, but again the Wrexham keeper was equal to the effort, getting down low at his near post to save.
Saints had generated 20 shots by the time the game reached 70 minutes, but still had nothing to show for the pressure.
Still then sent on more fresh legs, as Manning and Cameron Archer replaced Welington and Downes.
Saints were almost caught on the counter on 76 minutes as O’Brien burst clear, but they were indebted to Stephens for tracking back and disrupting him enough to dispossess him as he ran into the box, despite Wrexham’s appeals for a penalty.
At the other end, Quarshie had a huge appeal for a spot kick turned down, as he had his shirt pulled by Wrexham substitute Sam Smith while attempting to reach a Fraser cross, but again Bell dismissed the shouts.
Bazunu then produced a remarkable save on 87 minutes to keep Saints in it, as substitute Ryan Hardie burst through one-on-one, with the keeper somehow getting a fingertip to the shot to divert it an inch or so wide of the post.
It proved to be a crucial moment too, as Saints won a free-kick a good 30 yards out in the 90th minute.
Such was the distance that it didn’t look like a great opportunity, but up stepped Manning, who bent a sensational left-footed strike over the wall and into the corner of the net, past a despairing Ward, sending St Mary’s wild and giving Still’s side the equaliser they richly deserved.
And better was still to come, as Saints scored the winner with almost the last kick of the match.
A wonderful cross-field pass from Charles was chested into the area by Manning, and his low ball across the face of goal flicked off Downs and fell to a sliding Stephens at the back post, with the skipper slamming the ball in off the bar from close range, as the home crowd erupted.
What a way to start the season!
Southampton: Bazunu, Sugawara (Fernandes 60), Edwards (Stewart 80), Stephens (captain), Quarshie, Welington (Manning 72), Downes (Archer 72), Charles, Fraser, Robinson, Armstrong (Downs 60).
Unused substitutes: McCarthy, Wood, Matsuki, Brereton Díaz.
Goals: Manning (90′), Stephens (90’+6).
Booked: Downes.
Wrexham: Ward, Cleworth, Coady, Brunt, Barnett (Longman 71), Dobson, James (captain), O’Brien, Cacace (McClean 84), Windass (Hardie 71), Moore (Smith 54).
Unused substitutes: Okonkwo, O’Connell, Evans, Lee, Ashfield.
Goals: Windass (22’ pen).
Booked: Cleworth, McClean.
Referee: James Bell.
Attendance: 30,970.
