NEWPORT County AFC were beaten 1-0 by Swansea City in a behind-closed-doors friendly at the Championship club’s Fairwood training ground this afternoon.
County manager Michael Flynn opted for a 4-3-3 starting line-up with Dan Butler, Mickey Demetriou, Mark O’Brien and David Pipe making up the back four.
Andrew Crofts, Scot Bennett and Matty Dolan started in midfield, with Keanu Marsh-Brown and Robbie Willmott supporting Padraig Amond up front.
The Swansea side featured internationals Connor Roberts, Andre Ayew, Jordi Amat, Federico Fernandez and Luciano Narsingh, as well as former England under-21 stars Tom Carroll and Wayne Routledge and Wales under-21 cap Daniel James.
The hosts scored the only goal of the game after 13 minutes when a clever flick from Ghanaian forward Ayew allowed Dutch winger Narsingh to curl a shot past Joe Day.
The Exiles held their own against the former Premier League club but could not find an equaliser before making eight changes on the hour.
Butler, O'Brien, Pipe, Crofts, Dolan, Bennett, Amond and Willmott made way for Tyler Forbes, Charlie Cooper, Jamille Matt, Josh Sheehan, Fraser Franks, two unnamed trialists and new signing Antoine Semenyo.
The 18-year-old forward, who is hoping to match the success of Bristol City teammate Shawn McCoulsky at Rodney Parade, completed his loan move from the Robins this morning.
Swansea introduced more experience with Kyle Naughton, Jordan Ayew and Jefferson Montero coming on.
And Flynn made two further changes late on with youngsters Jay Foulston and Lewis Collins replacing Demetriou and Marsh-Brown but there was no way back into the match for the visitors, who suffered a second defeat in pre-season.
County started their preparations for the new campaign with another behind-closed-doors friendly at Bristol City last week, drawing 2-2 thanks to goals from Amond and Sheehan.
A mixture of youth team players and trialists then drew 1-1 with Undy AFC in Chepstow last Friday with a trialist netting for the Exiles.
Flynn fielded a much stronger starting XI for Saturday’s friendly at Chippenham Town but former County winger Jack Compton scored the only goal of the game at Hardenhuish Park.
An Exiles XI play at Penybont tonight (kick-off 7.30pm) before taking on Hereford FC at Edgar Street on Saturday (kick-off 3pm) and then hosting a Stoke City XI in Newport on July 28.
County begin their League Two campaign at Mansfield Town on August 4.
County starting XI: Day, Butler, Demetriou, O'Brien, Pipe, Crofts, Bennett, Dolan, Marsh-Brown, Amond, Willmott
County XI (final 30 minutes): Day, Trialist 1, Demetriou (Foulston, 73), Franks, Forbes, Cooper, Sheehan, Trialist 2, Marsh-Brown (Collins, 73), Semenyo, Matt
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