NEWPORT County open their Dr Martens League Premier Division account this season at home to Welling United.

Exiles fans, though, will look straight for their derby clash with newly-promoted Merthyr Tydfil.

County host the Martyrs at Newport Stadium on August Bank Holiday while the return at Penydarren Park is on Boxing Day.

For a pleasant change, Newport are at home on New Year's Day to Bath City. Peter Nicholas' men visit Twerton Park for the re-match on Easter Monday (April 12).

County's full 2003/04 fixture list:

AUGUST 2003 Sat 16...Welling Utd (h) Tue 19...Weymouth (a) Sat 23...Stafford (a) Mon 25...Merthyr (h) Sat 30...Grantham (a)

SEPTEMBER Wed 3...Chippenham (h) Sat 6...Nuneaton (a) Tue 9...Moor Green (a) Sat 13...Crawley (h) Wed 17...Weymouth (h) Sat 20...Hinckley (a) Sat 27...FA CUP 2nd Qual Rnd

OCTOBER Sat 4...Dover (h) Sat 11...FA CUP 3rd Qual Rnd Sat 18...Welling (a) Wed 22...Weston-s-Mare (h) Sat 25...Chelmsford (h) FA CUP 4th Qual Rnd

NOVEMBER Sat 1...Worcester (a) Sat 8...Eastbourne (a) FA CUP 1st Rnd Proper Sat 15...Dorchester (h) Sat 22...Hednesford (a) Sat 29... FA TROPHY 2nd Rnd

DECEMBER Sat 6...Hinckley (h) Sat 13...Tiverton (a) Sat 20...Stafford (h) Fri 26...Merthyr (a)

JANUARY 2004 Thur 1...Bath (h) Sat 3...Havant & W'ville (a) Sat 10...Hednesford (h) FA TROPHY 3rd Rnd Sat 17...Cambridge (a) Sat 31...Chippenham (a) FA TROPHY 4th Rnd

FEBRUARY Sat 7...Grantham (h) Sat 14...Weston-s-Mare (a) FA TROPHY 5th Rnd Sat 21...Worcester (h) Sat 28...Dover (a) FA TROPHY 6th Rnd

MARCH Sat 6...Tiverton (h) Sat 13...Havant & W'ville (h) Sat 20...Crawley (a) Sat 27...Nuneaton (h) FA TROPHY semi (1st leg)

APRIL Sat 3...Chelmsford (a) FA TROPHY semi (2nd leg) Sat 10...Moor Green (h) Mon 12...Bath (a) Sat 17...Cambridge (h) Sat 24...Dorchester (a)

MAY Sat 1...Eastbourne (h) Sun 23...FA TROPHY Final