GOALKEEPER Lenny Pidgeley returned to action for Newport County AFC this afternoon in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Cardiff City at Spytty Park.

The Exiles' number one has not played since last season's Conference play-off final victory over Wrexham at Wembley due to personal reasons.

He played the full 90 minutes against a strong Bluebirds team this afternoon, watched by manager Justin Edinburgh and his Cardiff counterpart Malky Mackay.

The visitors, who fielded first-teamers Mark Hudson, Kevin McNaughton, Craig Noone, Don Cowie and Joe Mason, won the match 4-0 with goals from Mason, Cowie, youngster Kadeem Harris and substitute Etien Velikonja .

County fielded new signing Tom Naylor alongside Andrew Hughes, Ryan Jackson, Mike Flynn, Max Porter, Robbie Willmott, Danny Crow, Conor Washington and youth team players Ellis Redman and Alex Zanotti.

Pidgeley posted a message on Twitter after the game, which reads: "Good to get 90 mins today not so good to get absolutely peppered & lose 4-0 against a load of Cardiff 1st team tho!!!"