NEWPORT County AFC will travel to Germany ahead of Saturday’s celebratory friendly at Carl Zeiss Jena in good heart after a win at Swindon Supermarine this evening.

The Exiles began their pre-season campaign with a 2-1 win at the Southern League outfit thanks to goals from Christian Jolley and Conor Washington.

Home substitute Danny Hilder had briefly levelled matters just after the break but County were comfortably on top on their return to action following their Conference play-off final victory over Wrexham at Wembley in May.

Lining up in the 4-3-3 formation that was so effective at the start of last season, manager Justin Edinburgh handed debuts to new signings Jamie Stephens, Harry Worley and Chris Zebroski.

And youth team players Ellis Redman and Ben Brookes also got a start alongside captain David Pipe and first team regulars Tony James, Mike Flynn, Lee Minshull, Robbie Willmott and Washington.

It was Washington who opened the scoring on 32 minutes, latching on to a James long ball from the back, beating the offside trap and clipping the ball expertly over the advancing goalkeeper Kent Kauppinen.

Zebroski caused problems with his height and also showed some neat footwork. His only chance was a close range effort well saved by Kauppinen.

In goal ex-Liverpool man Jamie Stephens had little to do but for an acrobatic save from a Ben Whitehead lob ten minutes before the break. Worley was similarly untroubled at centre-back alongside the ever-dependable James but Redman stood out with a solid performance at left-back.

It was all-change after the break with ten substitutions and only Stephens remaining from the first 45 minutes.

Midfielder Adam Chapman made the first appearance since rejoining the club and triallists Jamie Edge and Ryan Doble also got a chance to impress.

But the main man was Jolley who produced a stunning winning goal after being released by fellow substitute Danny Crow and racing through on goal before easily sliding the ball beyond Kauppinen.

County: Stephens, Pipe, James, Worley, Redman, Flynn, Minshull, Willmot, Brookes, Washington, Zebroski Substitutes: Jones, Anthony, Preece, Hughes, Edge, Chapman, Holmes, Jolley, Crow, Doble