ALLAN Stevenson will watch Newport County's pre-season friendly clash with Gwent rivals Cwmbran Town tonight (7.45pm) on the sidelines.

The 18-year-old midfielder, (pictured left) who was one of Tim Harris' finds of last season, spent four days in hospital last week after being struck down with the mystery bug that swept through the Exiles' squad - affecting 16 players.

And he revealed: "It was quite scary at the time. "I felt awful. I wasn't only sick but had diarrhoea. It was quite frightening, especially because so many other players had the illness as well."

But Stevenson, who travelled back to Newport from his home-town of Pwllheli last night, insisted: "I feel fine now.

"I came out of hospital last Wednesday feeling a lot better. I was on a drip but as soon as that was removed I perked up. It took a few days to get my strength back and now I want to get on with playing football."

County boss Harris has left him out of tonight's Newport Stadium showdown to "air on the side of caution" as new boy Neil Davis is likely to make his debut as a fully signed-up Exile.

The Dr Martens Premier League outfit will also give former Newport YMCA defender Cortez Belle a game as Harris continues to "monitor" the youngster while defender Steve Benton is still recovering from a knee operation.

But League of Wales Cwmbran are facing their "toughest pre-season test yet," according to their influential skipper Sean Wharton.

However, the 32-year-old insisted: "We want to put in a good performance and it'll be nice to win - but results are not the be all and end all.

"It's all about getting our fitness up ready for the league programme to kick-off next Friday against Aberystwyth. But playing against Gwent rivals Newport always adds spice."

In two pre-season games so far against Welsh League Division One Caerleon, where Town won 4-0, and at Division Three Caldicot Town, where they won 5-0, Cwmbran have not yet conceded a goal and put in convincing performances.

The Crows could be without playmaker Anthony Wright, who has a knee niggle, and fellow midfielder Chris Watkins (foot), defender Neil Smothers (unavailable) but apart from that should be at full strength.

Newport County (from) : P Mountain, D Robison (c), S Walker, A Thomas, B Clark, J Eckhardt, C Belle, N Davies, M Fowler, S Cowe, M Rose, G Shephard, M Dickeson, N Davis, R Plant, S James, D Ryan, R French.

Cwmbran Town (from) : M Ellacott, P O'Hagan, R Carter, J Welsh, G Warton, R David, S Wharton (c), A Wright, A Moore, N Wigg, S Mainwaring, M Pattimore, M Davies, C Summers, R Griffiths, J Jenkins, M Dunn, C Watkins, C Lemons