It was almost the perfect start. Almost. But the team owned by Hollywood A-listers had not read the script.

For the first 45 minutes Oldham Athletic defied the league table and took the game to a Wrexham side that are brushing aside last season’s play-off disappointment and gunning for the title.

After David Unsworth made the low key entrance that he had preferred on his Boundary Park bow his Latics side set to work on transferring everything they had learnt on the training ground during the week into the game. The new boss had wanted the focus to be on the players, and for a long time they delivered.

Latics looked more organised, more energised, passed more, pressed more, showed more willingness and desire and no shortage of know-how, and backed by their biggest crowd in almost a decade they took a lead into the break for only the second time this season.

But by the hour mark, certainly past the 70th minute mark, they started flagging. Although the mind was willing the legs were becoming increasingly weary. It led to cramp for some, and ultimately for others some costly mistakes, most significantly in the last minute of stoppage time.

Wrexham, a bigger, more powerful and more experienced outfit, seized on that vulnerability and that fatigue, and come 5 o'clock, they were in pole position, after three last-gasp points allied to defeat for Chesterfield at home to Maidenhead sent the Welsh club top of the National League.

It was a blockbuster ending. For them.

For Unsworth and his players, it was a vital building block; a vast improvement on the previous weekend's performance and, with players coming in - with more expected on the back of the influential John Rooney's arrival - and players coming back there is hope and optimism that an indifferent and inconsistent start to the season can be transformed into something to get excited about.

Unsworth wants expectation. He wants players and supporters to go into games expecting to win.

They are not quite there yet, certainly against the calibre of teams like Wrexham. But they are getting there. The progress made in just a week tells you that.

The manager admitted after the game that availability dictated formation on the day, but even though it was more by circumstance than design, it worked.

The centre half trio of David Okagbue, Nathan Sheron and James Carragher limited Wrexham to half chances and gave good protection to goalkeeper Magnus Norman, who overall had a better command of his area.

Injury has meant Jordan Clarke has not trained since Unsworth came to the club, but went straight into the side and got up and down the right in his wing back role.

The midfield three of Jack Stobbs, Charlie Cooper and the effervescent Ben Tollitt linked play effectively and tracked back to support the back five when the occasion demanded.

Rooney was particularly predatory in the opening stages of his debut, playing alongside Mike Fondop, who was the powerhouse player that his frame and physique suggests he can be.

Fondop took his goal expertly, robbing Ben Tower of possession, ploughing forward and burying a brilliant shot past goalkeeper Mark Howard in the 26th minute.

Fondop might have had more but for offside flags and fouls and a near miss, and the narrow scoreline, despite a valiant performance, ultimately came back to bite them in the cruellest fashion.

Unsworth had left no stone unturned in his preparations, not just on the training pitch but even down to psychological tactics - switching dugouts so that he and his staff were closer to the Jimmy Frizzell Stand that the team prefer to kick towards in the second half of games.

Unsworth has previously seen the positive impact that fans can have at Boundary Pork, particularly those behind the goal; the magnetic powers of the Athleticos, one minute enticing new owners, the next sucking in last minute winners. Frustratingly, it was a packed away end that achieved that in the end.

As Latics tired, Wrexham found another gear, aided by some fresh legs from the bench.

The equaliser, from Tozer, had been coming. Mounting pressure eventually told in the 85th minute.

Five minutes into stoppage time, the game turned completely on its head as Roberts mysteriously allowed a ball into the box to bounce before fouling Luke Young in a panicked attempt to clear.

Paul Mullin stepped up for the penalty and smashed it past Norman.

It was a devastating end to a game that had otherwise demonstrated Latics’ promise and potential.