PETER Nicholas insists last night's pre-season friendly defeat is a wake-up call for Newport County players - and fans.

Their 2-1 reverse at Carmarthen Town was the Exiles' first pre-season loss in five outings - but the opening four victories were against Welsh League and Gwent County sides.

County boss Nicholas, though, pleaded for level-heads among the Dr Martens League club's followers and said: "Don't panic."

He added: "We're not panicking and I read a quote over the weekend that said it does you a world of good to get beaten in pre-season otherwise the fans start thinking because we're winning every game we should win the league.

"It was a good workout for us. I'm not bothered by the result. We looked very fit and finished the game strongly.

"The goals we gave away were poor and that is something we will be working on.

"We've got players to come back and we hope to improve against AFC Wimbledon on Saturday."

Nicholas' right-hand-man Glyn Jones added: "It's important to highlight the good things as well as trying to improve on the negative aspects of our performance."

Without strike pair Garry Shephard (holiday) and Mark Dickeson (thigh strain), County lacked the cutting edge. That - and two give-away goals - cost them.

Newport, however, took a 14th-minute lead as former Chinese international Fan Zhiyi rose above a static Carmarthen defence to head fellow trialist Jamie Michael's right-wing corner past a stranded Tony Pennock.

But the revamped Welsh Premier outfit, whose boss Tomi Morgan has made wholesale changes to his squad this summer, levelled within three minutes.

Former Swansea City striker Jon Keaveny gathered Gavin Allen's pass, which caught the Newport defence square, before rounding keeper Gareth Wesson and sliding the ball home.

County knew this was to be their toughest pre-season examination and Carmarthen duly obliged, Keaveny close with a 25-yard free-kick. However, Pennock came between Neil Davis and Newport's second, but the Exiles frontman's header was tipped over.

Nicky Palmer, the ex-Llanelli midfielder on trial at Spytty Park, had two sniffs at goal within five minutes but his touch let him down on both occasions.

County's No 1 Pat Mountain replaced Wesson at the interval - and his first task was to pick the ball out of the net.

A misunderstanding between Mountain and centre-back Jason Perry allowed Owen Thomas to pounce onto Michael Tovey's left-wing centre - and Thomas returned the ball to the danger area and Gavin Allen finished well from 12 yards, leaving Mountain with little chance.

Mountain, though, had to be at full-stretch to claw Dean Rossiter's 20-yard piledriver round the post.

Pennock wasn't troubled as much as Nicholas would have liked - but he needed to be alert to fingertip the impressive Zhiyi's 25-yard blast over.

Morgan said: "It was a good game all round. We drew with Merthyr on the weekend but I would say Newport were the more powerful team and seem to have more strength in depth."

Carmarthen Town (4-4-2) T Pennock; D Barnhouse, A York (S Davies, 88), A Thomas, M Tovey; O Thomas (S Meredith, 85), D Rossiter, G Allen, S Chapple (K Carter, 88); N Burke, J Keaveny (T Lewis, 52)

Newport County (4-4-2) : G Wesson (P Mountain, 45); S Williams (K James, 45), J Eckhardt (c), J Perry, T Evans; N Palmer (R Plant, 68), F Zhiyi, G Phillips (N Davies, 45), J Michael (C Rogers, 56); N Davis, Z Jia Ping (K Hanbury, 52)

Subs not used: A Stevenson, A Thomas Referee: Mr S Hames(Aberdare).

Attendance: 220