JACK Compton came back to haunt Newport County AFC with a superb winner to condemn his former club to defeat in today’s pre-season friendly at Chippenham Town.

Michael Flynn will not be overly concerned with the result as he builds up to the big League Two kick-off at Mansfield Town three weeks today.

The Exiles boss will be thankful that none of his players were injured because he started with a strong team with Joe Day in goal behind a back three of Scot Bennett, Mickey Demetriou and captain Mark O’Brien.

Wing-backs Dan Butler and Tyler Forbes flanked Matty Dolan and Charlie Cooper in central midfield, while Keanu Marsh-Brown played just behind front two Padraig Amond and Jamille Matt.

Chippenham featured four former Exiles with Kieran Parselle, Curtis McDonald and Nat Jarvis joining Compton in their starting XI.

Parselle enjoyed a good battle with Forbes in the first half but it was Compton who was the main danger for his former side in the opening stages.

He crossed for Alex Ferguson to head over before linking up with Jarvis, who shot high and wide from a tight angle after rounding Day.

Cooper lost possession a few times on a difficult surface early on but, watched by his father Mark, he nearly opened the scoring after half an hour.

The midfielder’s free-kick from the left touchline was just tipped over the bar before Amond headed over from a corner.

South Wales Argus:

Marsh-Brown looked as lively as anyone and he twice went close from distance before Dolan curled a free-kick just over the bar from 20 yards.

The Exiles made 10 changes for the second half with only Day staying on the pitch.

Two trialists – former Coventry City right-back Dion Kelly-Evans, who also played against Undy AFC on Friday, and ex-County loanee Tommy O’Sullivan – were joined by Fraser Franks, Jay Foulston, Owen Taylor, Andrew Crofts, Josh Sheehan, Lewis Collins, Momodou Touray and Robbie Willmott.

Sheehan’s direct running worried the Chippenham defence and he won a free-kick in a dangerous position but then shot high over the bar from the edge of the D.

At the other end Foulston did well to block a shot from Karnell Chambers and Franks was also alert to cut out the danger as the hosts pushed and probed down the right flank.

Day made way for a trialist on the hour and he was beaten all ends up by a fabulous Compton drive from the edge of the area after 66 minutes.

Josh Smile nearly curled in a second for the National League South side and County worked hard but failed to force their way back onto level terms.

Touray and Collins were well marshalled by the Bluebirds defence and Robbie Willmott, who scored a fantastic free-kick in the same fixture 12 months ago, could not get into the game.

County starting XI: Day; Bennett, O’Brien, Demetriou; Forbes, Dolan, Cooper, Butler; Marsh-Brown; Matt, Amond

County second half: Day (Trialist 3, 60); Trialist 1, Franks, Foulston, Taylor; Trialist 2, Crofts; Sheehan; Collins, Touray, Willmott

Attendance: 302