NEWPORT County AFC assistant manager Russell Osman has defended the decision to field a team of teenagers at Weston-super-Mare and hinted that one or two may feature in the League Two opener.

With manager Terry Butcher elsewhere casting an eye over a potential new signing, Osman was in charge as a youthful Exiles side drew 2-2 in Somerset.

Tuesday’s match was the club’s final pre-season friendly, meaning the majority of the senior players will have gone nearly two weeks without an official run-out by the time they kick-off against Cambridge United on August 8.

But Osman insists the match will prove worthwhile, with Aaron Collins catching the eye thanks to a stunning opening goal and an assist for Dafydd Jones’ strike.

“Some that played on Sunday have played a lot of minutes in pre-season so they’re up to scratch on fitness levels and game-time,” explained Butcher’s number two.

“Alex Rodman needed 90 minutes under his belt, so did Aaron Collins and Tom Owen-Evans.

“Regan Poole needed another 90 minutes because he missed a little bit of training at the start of pre-season and Kieran Parselle as well.

“I thought he had a super game on Sunday and you don’t want players getting carried away because they’ve played against QPR one minute and suddenly playing Weston is above them.

“He did well again and it all adds to their minute-count because the whole emphasis is getting a good squad of players to select from a week on Saturday.”

Osman says Collins has made a positive impression in pre-season.

“We got off to a wonderful start with Aaron’s goal,” he said.

“I was annoyed at him for giving the ball away a couple of times but then he goes and smashes one in from 25 yards and all is forgiven.

“We’ve seen Aaron score a few spectacular goals in pre-season and in training and it was nice to see him do it again.

“There was a lot that will give me pleasure to tell the manager about.”

Osman also feels that the youngsters will have learned from conceding two late goals to be pegged back to 2-2 on Tuesday.

“We had a small young side with good footballers but there are two sides to football – what you do with the ball and what you do without it,” he said.

“If you’re allowed to play like we were in the first half then we can play well but if somebody wants to turn it into a physical battle and they’re bigger and stronger then our lads have got to learn how to cope with that.

“We had nine teenagers playing and it was good experience for them and it will be a lesson learned.”