WREXHAM manager Denis Smith claimed he learned more from Saturday's defeat at the hands of Huddersfield Town than he did from last Tuesday's 2-0 victory against West Bromwich Albion as the Dragons' pre-season programme ended in anti-climax at the Racecourse on Saturday.

He certainly didn't pick a team to win the game, omitting captain Darren Ferguson, wing-back Paul Edwards and strikers Chris Armstrong and Lee Jones from his starting line-up and giving allrounder Jim Whitley a complete rest.

Instead, Smith's selection provided the likes of Steve Thomas, Matt Crowell and Paul Barrett with an opportunity to rise to the occasion, but the relatively inexperienced trio were unable to control the pace and rhythm of a reasonably entertaining contest.

And it's unlikely that strikers Chris Llewellyn and Hector Sam will figure too often as a pair when the manager has other options, because they lacked penetration and rarely stretched the Terriers defence.

So it was that the visitors, fresh from escaping the clutches of a bank-appointed administrator, dictated the tactics and enjoyed more possession than sides would normally expect at the Racecourse.

And by the time that Ferguson and Edwards were thrown into the fray, the outcome was pretty much cut and dried, even though the home side then had the chances to have salvaged a face-saving draw.

But Smith was unrepentant afterwards, saying: "We are back to what pre-season games are for. Is it to win them or for me to get something out of them? I got a lot out of that today and a lot more than I got from the midweek game.

"I changed the midfield and I played two lads up front who both come short more than you would like, but they needed a game. The midfield was totally unusual and we hit the ball long today, much more than we normally do.

"Those three in midfield would not normally play together in a team but there were people like Darren Ferguson and Jim Whitley who didn't need a game.

"I wasn't picking a team to win the game, I was picking a team based on those who needed games. I know in my own mind what my best team is but I'm the only person who does, so far."

One Wrexham player who did seize his opportunity to impress was Shaun Holmes, who was forced to play second fiddle to Edwards for long spells last season.

The ex-Manchester City man, always a capable defender, got forward to sting goalkeeper Ian Gray's fingers with a superb volley and followed that two minutes later with a deflected shot of equal venom which rattled the frame of the goal in a promising opening spell by the Dragons.

But Huddersfield snatched a 20th-minute lead in their first meaningful attack of the game when Jon Stead was allowed to reach the byline before pulling the ball back for Tony Carrs to beat Andy Dibble, despite a last-ditch tackle from Carlos Edwards.

The Trinidad international was Wrexham's most conspicuous performer in the opening period, as ever covering a huge amount of ground in both defensive and attacking modes. It was fitting that he levelled the score within four minutes, lurking on the edge of the penalty area to profit from a loose clearance by slamming home an unstoppable shot from 20 yards.

Llewellyn squandered a decent opening on 27 minutes, firing high after being put clear by Edwards and Holmes forced another fine save from Gray with a well-struck free-kick, but the home side were stunned when the visitors restored their advantage in the 33rd minute.

Tyrone Thompson did the damage, wriggling past a couple of ineffective challenges before threading the ball forward to Stead, who looked to be at least a yard offside when he applied the finish.

Both goalkeepers then made excellent saves, Dibble denying Stead and his opposite number somehow turning away another Edwards special on the stroke of half time.

The introduction of Ferguson and Armstrong saw Wrexham begin to assert themselves more and Brian Carey should have equalised with a diving header after 63 minutes, but he failed to get enough power on the ball to trouble Gray.

And the Dragons were punished again nine minutes later when Carrs and Stead combined neatly to set up substitute Andy Booth for a close-range finish that put the outcome beyond doubt, despite further chances for the home side.

Llewellyn should have done better with a free header following good approach work from Carlos Edwards and when Craig Morgan picked out Lee Jones with a 60-yard pass, the striker beat Gray but saw his chip clear the crossbar.

C Edwards 24

WREXHAM: Dibble; Pejic (Morgan 46), Carey, Lawrence; C Edwards, Barrett (Ferguson 61), Thomas, Crowell (L Jones 73), Holmes (P Edwards 73); Llewellyn( M Jones 83), Sam (Armstrong 61). Sub: Whitfield.

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN: Gray; Booty, Yates, Hughes, Edwards; Thompson (Holdsworth 81), Carrs, Holland (Worthington, 46), Schofield (Booth

70); Stead, Newby. Subs: Preston, Senior, Scott, Lloyd, Adnan. REFEREE: Andre Marriner (Birmingham) ATT: 1,840.