NEWPORT County AFC manager Justin Edinburgh will step up his search for a right-back this week after the squad returned from Germany last night.

History repeated itself on Saturday as the Exiles earned a 2-2 draw against Carl Zeiss Jena – just as the old club did in the 1981 European Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-final first leg.

Aaron O’Connor marked his return to action with a last minute equaliser in the pre-season friendly played at the Wimaria-Stadion in Weimar in eastern Germany.

Byron Anthony had put County back in the game with a goal in the 31st minute after Justin Gerlach and Matthias Peßolat had put the Germans 2-0 up after just 15 minutes.

The game got fairly feisty at times with referee Marko Wartmann having to prevent a brawl after a foul by Jena’s Andis Shala.

County striker Danny Crow later commented on Twitter: “Well we can safely say that wasn’t a friendly game.”

But the match, watched by a crowd of around 2,800 including around 250 from Wales, was judged to be a success.

Left-back Andy Sandell, who made his first appearance in pre-season, added on Twitter: “Interesting game…made to feel very welcome by the Germans.”

After training yesterday the squad flew home and Edinburgh will now turn his attention to finding a player to deputise for captain David Pipe, who was unavailable for the trip to Germany.

The Exiles boss has already brought in goalkeeper Jamie Stephens, centre-back Harry Worley and striker Chris Zebroski this summer and he now wants to add a right-sided defender after missing out on top target Curtis Osano.

“I’m delighted with the acquisitions I’ve made but I do feel there is room for a couple more,” said Edinburgh, who will also continue to monitor triallists Jamie Edge and Ryan Doble.

“We need competition for David Pipe and maybe another midfielder. We’ll look at Jamie Edge closely over the next couple of weeks.

“Rhys Griffiths has been released, which maybe gives Ryan Doble an opportunity,” he added. “I think we need two or three more but there is no rush.

“We’ve got 19 at the moment and we’d like to get to 21 before the start of the season.”

County: Stephens, Hughes, Sandell, Anthony, Worley, Flynn, Chapman, Minshull, Willmott, Jolley, Crow. Subs: James, O'Connor, Zebroski, Washington, Edge