FIRST team players Jazzi Barnum-Bobb, Tom Owen-Evans and Aaron Williams will feature for Newport County AFC in tomorrow night’s pre-season friendly at Barry Town United.

Asked on Saturday about his intentions for the friendly against his former club at Jenner Park (kick-off 7.30pm), Flynn said: “It’ll be mostly trialists and younger players, if I’m honest.

“A lot of first-team players will be there but maybe not on the pitch.

“With the 3G pitch I have to be careful. A lot of them get reactions when they play on that and, as much as it’s my old club, I’ve got to make sure it’s right for Newport County and the players.”

But the Exiles boss has had a slight change of heart and the club announced yesterday that Barnum-Bobb, Owen-Evans and Williams would play some part against the Welsh Premier League outfit.

Flynn will still give some promising youngsters and potential signings another chance to impress before stepping up preparations for the new campaign at Northampton Town this coming Saturday.

The trip to Sixfields to take on the League One Cobblers, now managed by former County boss Justin Edinburgh, is the final friendly before the League Two opener at Stevenage on August 5.

“I knew they’d make some good signings and they have,” said Flynn of the Northampton match. “It’s going to be a really good test.

“You don’t want to play too many teams that are below you and get a false sense of security by winning every game.

“And you don’t want to play too many teams above you where you don’t touch the ball and you get hammered.

“That can knock your confidence so we’ve tried to do it sensibly and hopefully it comes off at the start of the season.”

Flynn’s will be up against a strong Northampton team, which could feature former County favourites Regan Poole and Sam Foley, on Saturday but the boss won’t be too concerned if the result goes against his side.

“Losing won’t affect them,” he said. “I don’t think anybody believes we’re going to win every game in League Two and you can learn a lot more from losing than you would from winning every game.

“That’s the reason I’m glad that we’ve got a big test against Northampton.”