Football: An occasion to savour; FanScene.

Byline: PETER DAVIES

COLWYN Bay v Wrexham may have been a close-season warm-up fixture, but it was an excellent occasion nonetheless.

Most of Denis Smith's men had a decent pre-Isle of Man run-out. The Dragons scored four, conceded none, and there were no injuries of note to report.

It is always fascinating to see a set of players shape up after time away. Andy Morrell looked sharp - and that was just his haircut. It's also clear that Carlos Edwards has spent a bit of time with his coiffeur since he last appeared in a red shirt.

If the on-field entertainment was value for money (the admission price was an entirely reasonable pounds 4), the off-pitch goings-on were also very interesting.

It was definitely a night for VIP-spotting. WFC managing director David Rhodes was watching the game from behind the goal, rather than from the makeshift directors' box. He lives only a mile or so away from the Llanelian Road ground, and said that he was delighted to have a genuine ``home'' fixture to attend - for once.

Rhodes was joined on the terraces by new club owner Mark Guterman. Most Reds fans seem to be warming to the new man's involvement at the Racecourse, and Guterman - sporting a natty blue summer shirt - did his popularity ratings no harm at all by mingling with supporters all evening.

Bangor City boss Peter Davenport was in attendance - running the rule over transfer target Wayne Phillips perhaps? - and it was heartening to see a fit-again Joey Jones chatting with supporters at the ground.

There was something particularly homely about Bay's small but scenic stadium. Many Wrexham fans opted to watch the game from the comfort of the CBFC social club, and the refreshments on sale at the nearby food hut were top-notch, to say the least.

One Wrexham fan summed up the catering as follows: ``Hot drinks - absolutely delicious. Best cuppa I've had at a match for years. Lots of choice of hot and cold snacks. Service with a smile - top team of ladies. Fantastic. Many supporters opted for a pie/peas/gravy combo - looked very good. I recommend the home-made scones - wonderful! Overall: 5 out of 5. Faultless.''

Indeed, it appears that scones are the Llanelian Road speciality; the queues outside the food bar throughout the second half would seem to testify to this.

All in all it was a very good night for the home club. The non-leaguers competed well for the first two thirds of the game and were extremely combative in the tackle.

For a small club, they also did a solid job on the PR front. The makeshift club shop was doing a healthy trade near the main entrance (mugs, key rings and the like) and everybody was very welcoming.

As one Dragons fan put it: ``Not only were the staff in the refreshments bar friendly, but so were the turnstile operators and stewards.''