Wrexham's rude welcoming to the Championship: Hard lessons arrive in dramatic, painful loss at Southampton

The popular Welsh side had the lead entering the 90th minute, but it all went wrong at St. Mary's on Saturday

SOUTHAMPTON, England -- Welcome to the big leagues, Wrexham. This isn't what you've become accustomed to. As a season opener, this sowed all the seeds that ought to bloom over the coming episodes/games. The stars of the screen were valiant; they gave it their all and made their supporters believe again. This time, though, it might not be enough. 

These early scenes came with a lesson that the audience, the hierarchy, and above all, the players, will need to take away. You can defend with the same vim that made you a force in the lower leagues, win all the flick-ons on halfway that got you to the Championship, but still, someone might just stick the ball top bins and spoil your big day.

Of course, it is worth stating from the outset that over an hour leading Southampton, probably the biggest beasts in the Championship, would have been an unimaginable thrill for Wrexham supporters on the day that Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac (why has he changed his name though? Is that a bit? Like when Mac packed on mass in Sunny season seven? Who is he doing this versus?) bought in less than five years. On the day, if you offered anyone at the Racecourse Ground the chance to be beaten by two late Southampton goals, they would surely assume something had gone very, very wrong at St. Mary's before imagining what might have gone right for them.