CARL ZEISS JENA v COUNTY (Tomorrow) NEWPORT County AFC flew to Germany yesterday with manager Justin Edinburgh hailing the trip to face Carl Zeiss Jena as a fantastic occasion for both clubs.

The League Two new boys take on the East German side in a celebratory friendly tomorrow to commemorate the European Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-final clash between the pair back in 1981.

Jena broke County hearts 31 years ago with a 1-0 win at Somerton Park after the first leg in Germany had ended 2-2.

That was the high water mark for the old Newport County and Exiles boss Edinburgh will be looking to continue the new club’s rise and follow up Wednesday’s 2-1 win at Swindon Supermarine with another victory tomorrow.

“It’s a prestige trip for the club and a fantastic occasion that we’re all looking forward to,” said Edinburgh.

“It’s a massive occasion for both clubs and it’s a brilliant opportunity for us to go out there and leave the training ground behind after eight or nine days of solid hard work.

“It will help us get the players in peak condition ready for the start of the season.

“But it won’t be a jolly,” he added. “We train Friday, before the game on Saturday and again before we leave on Sunday.”

Number one goalkeeper Lenny Pidgeley misses the trip through illness but Ismail Yakubu, Max Porter and Aaron O’Conn-or have all made the trip after missing Wednes-day’s match.

O’Connor could play some part against Jena and triallist Jamie Edge is also set to feature again.

Fellow triallist Ryan Doble has not flown out but will remain with the squad for pre-season, which continues at Taunton on Tuesday.

With Pidgeley absent, new signing Jamie Stephens will get another chance to impress this weekend and Edinburgh is delighted with the former Liverpool goalkeeper.

“Jamie is a confident boy, very similar to Lenny in many ways,” he said. “He commands his box and his distribution is good.

“He’s a young boy but I think we’ve made a really good signing there and he’s got a really bright future in the game.”

Edinburgh was pleased with the win in Swindon thanks to goals from Conor Washington and Christian Jolley.

“I think it was a good workout and I was more than happy with the standard of football against really enthusiastic opposition,” he said.

“We’ve seen a lot of Christian now and we know that when he gets in those positions he finishes them off.

“I thought Robbie Willmott looked really sharp in the first half and Harry Worley at centre-half dominated.

“I was also impressed with the youth team players who stepped in and took their chance in the first team.

“We were better in the first half than the second when we made a lot of changes but overall I think our fitness looked good. We moved the ball well and tested their keeper a few times as well so I was pleased.”