A COUNTY squad with six new faces returned from their summer break to take on the strongest line-up to oppose them since their rebirth 15 years ago.

Bristol City, who suffered play-off disappointments in the last two seasons in their bid to return to the second tier of English football, paid County the compliment of selecting a full-strength side.

Results in pre season are of secondary importance to managers, but Peter Nicholas and his newly appointed city counterpart, Brian Tinnion, had equal cause for satisfaction after Saturday's game.

"I was pleased with what I saw," said the County boss.

"The game was played in the right manner, and I think it was a good workout for Bristol City.

"It was certainly very good for us, despite the result, and I was pleased with the new boys.

"We could have been a few goals up at half-time, but I'm not going overboard on one game."

County started with two former Welsh internationals in goalkeeper Roger Freestone and 31-year-old midfield playmaker Jason Bowen, who has just been released by Cardiff City.

Jonathan Coates, formerly of Swansea City, played on the left of midfield, and like ex-Crystal Palace striker Andrew Martin, who came on in the second half, he is a former Wales Under-21 cap.

The other newcomers were trialist striker Carl Wilson-Denis, who scored seven times in Crawley Town's Doctor Martens League Championship campaign last term, and new signing from Merthyr Kevin Ahearne-Evans, another former Under-21 cap.

Bowen impressed in an opening period in which skipper Gary Lloyd rocked the crossbar with a second-minute free kick, and Wilson-Denis extended 'keeper Steve Phillips, who was also glad to see Mickey Bell clear off the line from Darren Jones.

Another Lloyd effort shaved the posts, while Jamie Moralee should have netted the 44th- minute header. Dean Heffernan's header from a Bell corner gave City an interval lead, and they stepped up the tempo after the break, with Steven Gillespie scoring twice, and Lee Miller was also on target with a header.

Wilson-Denis produced a delightful lob to score for County, but a crowd of 868, most of whom had crossed the Severn Bridge with the visitors, was disappointed.

County: Freestone, L Phillips, Lloyd (O'Sullivan 69), Davies (G Jones 55), D Jones, Morgan, Ahearne-Evans (Saunders 86), Bowen (Williams 81), Moralee (Martin 51), Wilson-Denis (J Phillips 64), Coates.

Scorer: Wilson-Denis (54).

Bristol City: Phillips, Fortune, Bell (Woodman 46), Docherty, Coles, Butler (Hill 46), Murray (Roberts 46), Lita (Gillespie 46) Heffernan (Miller 46), Orr, Harley (Goodfellow 46). Scorers: Heffernan (10), Gillespie (2), 49, 65, Miller (53).

Referee: Andy Williams.