The former Charlton midfielder latched onto a throughball from Mike Edwards, before cooly rounding visiting goalkeeper Michael Ingham and slotting into the vacated net. The goal ensured the home faithful would go home happy, after watching an even encounter that struggled to get going for long periods.
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Thordarson made two changes to the side that had battled to a 0-0 draw at Torquay on Saturday. Glynn Hurst was replaced by the gigantic figure of Andy White - making his full debut - in attack, whilst Dan Martin was replaced at left back by the more experienced Rob Ullathorne.
Long, meanwhile, was included on the bench for the first time since signing non-contract terms last Friday. He replaced fellow non-contract man Jake Sheriden.
The game kicked-off in-front of an expectant, and somewhat more laid back, atmosphere at Meadow Lane. Whilst it was clear after entering the ground that some things refused to change - the scoreboard was broke, the much-anticipated sounds of Carl Orff as the players left the tunnel were still impossible to hear in the Jimmy Sirrel stand - the atmosphere, it seemed, had a more positive vibe in the air.
Fans, for the first time in a long long while, seemed reluctant to get on their players back, emphasising Thordarson's message of supporting, rather than hindering, the players when they play at Meadow Lane.
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However, such was the lack of pace to the game in the early stages, you'd have been forgiven for believing that the season had not actually begun yet.
We knew it wouldn't always be pretty, but this was stone-cold boring stuff. Steve Scoffham was harrying upfront, whilst David Pipe's forays down the right-hand side were also useful, but amounted to little.
In fact, it wasn't until the 26th minute that the Magpies were able to produce any sort of an effort on Ingham's goal, with Lewis McMahon's long-range effort flying high into the Kop Stand. By that point, the visitors had already pressured fleetingly, with wayward efforts from Mark Jones and Jonathan Walters not troubling Kevin Pilkington's goal.
A little under 10 minutes after McMahon's effort, though, and the game was to suddenly spring to life in the most bizarre fashion.
With half of the home crowd drifting off, they were awoken by the calls for a penalty when Scoffham went down under a challenge from Andy Holt. Though the appeals fell on deaf ears, the incident appeared to spark the Magpies into life, and they were to go on to enjoy their best spell of the entire match.
Just a minute after the spot-kick appeal, a delightful throughball from White was met by the marauding figure of McMahon who, with just Ingham to beat, side-footed a left-footed shot towards the bottom corner, but was denied by a superb low save from the Northern Irish international.
Scoffham fired over from the resulting corner, though the suddenly rampant Magpies weren't going to let the visitors rest for long.
Another run by Pipe earned the home side a further corner just a minute later, with teenage sensation Kelvin Wilson - fast becoming Notts' most important player - twice being denied by Ingham, after an excellent delivery from Chris Palmer.
The brief spell of pressure drew to a close, though, with the Dragons' intent on slowing the pace of the game down, largely through the influential figure of Darren Ferguson in midfield.
Half Time: Notts County 0-0 Wrexham AFC
Despite the Magpies enjoying an excellent period as the first half drew to a close, the second half started in a similar vein to the first, with hard work from both sides amounting to precious little, with chances proving almost impossible to come by.
Wrexham were proving their status as one of the favourites for promotion was no fluke, with some neat football played in midfield. How they must have craved for a striker though, of the quality of last season's top scorer, Juan Ugarte, who left the Dragons this summer to join Crewe Alexandra.
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That didn't stop Ferguson trying, though. The veteran midfielder - son of Manchester United boss Sir Alex - continued to probe the Magpies rearguard, supplying his forward-line with an array of passes. The skipper himself even had a go at breaking the deadlock, though his 20-yard strike flew over Pilkington's goal and into the reasonable smattering of away fans in the Kop Stand.
The Magpies, though, were by no means out of it but they too were finding chances harder to come-by with no recognised frontman. It was again the busy McMahon who had their first real effort of the half, just past the hour mark, with a rasping drive that stung the palms of Ingham.
From the follow-up, Palmer could only blaze his tremendously-struck drive over the crossbar from a difficult angle.
The game continued to swing though, with a 1-0 outcome looking increasingly likely, but it's direction unclear.
Ferguson's influence continued to grow, with the former Man Utd man providing a tremendous 66th minute cross that was met equally well by Danny Williams, though the Wrexham player's header flew narrowly wide of Pilkington's upright, with the keeper well-beaten.
Despite the all-round excellence of home debutant McMahon in midfield and the tremendous work rate of Scoffham and White in attack, the Magpies were being increasingly pegged-back, with only a last gasp shove from Pipe denying Mark Jones a clear run on goal.
Their was a collective sigh of relief when referee Thorpe decided that the offence had taken place outside of the box when the initial feeling was that he'd awarded the visitors a penalty. The relief was compounded when Holt drilled the free-kick into the wall.
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Long's presence failed to have much of an immediate impact, however, purely because the 20-year-old spent much of his early time on the pitch helping to defend from an attacking onslaught from our Welsh visitors, with Pilkington having to be alert twice in as many minutes to deny Jones and Walters.
With 10 minutes remaining, Thordarson decided to release Hurst into the fray to replace the tiring Scoffham, who had given an excellent display.
Despite Pilkington still being relatively untested, Wrexham were increasing their pressure and looked by far the more likely of the two sides to grab a late winner.
The Magpies defensive pairing of Baudet and Wilson - ably assisted by full-backs Brian O'Callaghan and the outstanding Ullathorne - continued to rebuke any attacks that came their way though, providing the Magpies with a springboard to counter-attack that was very rarely used, with the strikers themselves often too deep to latch onto the clearences.
Thordarson was worried. So worried, in fact, that he removed a front-man - White - and replaced him with a defensive midfielder - Matthew Gill, making his first appearence of the season - in order to hang on for the point.
However, a surprise decision to push Edwards - a defender-turned-midfielder - upfront alongside Hurst showed that the Iceman still had hope. His faith paid off, with the decision eventually winning the Magpies the game in the 90th minute.
Hurst showed tremendous strength and touch with his back to goal to hold off the gigantic figure of Dennis Lawrence and beautifully knock the ball back to Edwards, who was in a far more advanced position than he would usually be accustomed to.
The former Grimsby man slotted a delightful ball inside the defender and through to Long, who'd created space for himself by pulling out to the left touch-line.
The versatile midfielder - who was one of the stars of the Magpies pre-season campaign - had been starved of possession on his debut, but he was not to disappoint when given the chance to become the hero, selling Ingham with a delightful dummy and slotting the ball home.
Delirium struck, with Meadow Lane finally awakening after a game of long silent periods.
Wrexham's frustration boiled-over in injury time, with a sickening challenge from behind on Hurst threatening to tarnish the initial delight at Long's winner.
However, despite initial fears of serious injury to the former Chesterfield frontman, he was able to finish the game after lengthy treatment, though the referee's decision to award the perpetrater, David Bayliss, just a yellow card raised a few eyebrows and went someway to destroying an excellent display from the match official.
It didn't bother the home support for long though, as they applauded their team off the pitch after a battling display.
It may not have been pretty, it may not have even been fully deserved, but the Magpies had won their first home match of the season. And that's all that counts.
Full Time: Notts County 1-0 Wrexham AFC
Match Ratings and further reaction to follow.