NEWPORT County AFC manager Michael Flynn has confirmed he will field a strong side in today’s friendly match at Hereford with the League Two kick-off now just two weeks away.

It will be County’s first visit to Edgar Street since a dramatic 3-2 victory over Hereford United in the Conference back in 2013.

And Flynn, who played in that match alongside current squad members David Pipe and Robbie Willmott, is expecting a tough test against Peter Beadle’s men.

Beadle, who was manager of the Exiles between 2005 and 2008, has guided the Bulls to three successive promotions since the phoenix club was formed in 2014.

They will tackle the National League North this season and Flynn is not underestimating today’s hosts.

“We’ll put a strong side out,” he said. “We’ve got to step it up now.

“Hereford have got some good players and they’ll be up for it.

“They’ll want to beat us but I’m mainly interested in getting the right physical outputs from the game and not picking up any injuries.

“The rest are problems we can work on at the training pitch.”

Today is County’s penultimate friendly in their pre-season programme, which concludes against a Stoke City XI next Saturday.

Flynn’s men have so far drawn against Undy and Penybont and lost at Chippenham and have also played two behind-closed-doors games against Bristol City and Swansea City, drawing 2-2 and losing 1-0 respectively.

“I’ll probably look to fit in another one [behind-closed-doors friendly] between Hereford and Stoke just to top up the games,” said the boss.

“It’s gone well so far but nothing is won and lost in pre-season.

“We’ve worked on some good things and there are still things to work on. That’s what pre-season is for.”

Pre-season is also for adding to the squad and Flynn is still keen to add to his seven summer signings so far.

“I’m very hopeful that there’ll be more to come,” he said.

“We need a number two goalkeeper and we need another two or three others as well so I’m not giving up but they will have to be loans or at the right price.”

As well as Bulls boss Beadle, today’s match will also see County reunited with winger Jennison Myrie-Williams and commercial manager James Watts.

“I’d expect 400 or 500 to come up from Newport,” said Watts, who is now general manager at Hereford.

“When they approached the club for the game we decided it would be a very good friendly for the club to have.

“I think they’re going to play a very strong team – I think it’ll be pretty much their League Two starting XI so it’s going to be a great test for our boys and we’ll see where we are.

“The National North is a lot more physical [than the league’s we’ve played in previously] and I think the test of Newport County will put us where we need to be in our pre-season campaign.”