Trialists Marcus Browning and Aaron Cornwall are among those who will be given another chance to prove their worth to manager Adie Britton when Bath City take on Hayes & Yeading United in their first home friendly of the summer on Monday night (7.45pm).

Experienced former Bristol Rovers midfielder Browning and ex-Chippenham Town winger Cornwall were both handed starts as City lost the opening game of their pre-season programme 2-1 at Cirencester Town last night.

Britton's squad comprised of a total of 21 players with only keeper Owen Dunn, who took the gloves in the absence of the injured Ryan Robinson and unavailable Steve Perrin, and midfielder Lewis Hogg featuring for the whole 90 minutes.

Other trialists on show were ex-Halesowen Town full-back Jack Allward, former Chippenham defender Kevin Halliday, Jonjo O'Hara, a former Bradford City centre-back, Luke Cole, Jamie Taylor and Ashley Caldwell.

A mistake by Dunn handed Cirencester the lead and the Zamaretto League side scored the winner five minutes into the second half after Cornwall's hooked shot had levelled matters.

Britton said: "We set out to give all the lads who have been training with us a game – you never get the chance to have a look at people when the season starts, not having a reserve team.

"Usually you only have to watch lads playing for around half an hour to know whether they're what you want or not.

"We're training on Saturday and I'll speak to the lads I want to have another look at know, likewise those we don't.

"We had way too many players at Cirencester and on Monday will probably use 16 or 17. In the last four friendlies we will start to settle it down."

There may have been plenty of new faces on show but it was a more familiar one, former Forest Green midfielder Ashley Caldwell, who made the biggest impression on Britton after coming on for the second half.

Caldwell first featured in a City squad last August but only made two appearances for the club in 2008-09, both of them coming in the Somerset Premier Cup.

Britton said: "Ashley played slightly out of position in the middle of midfield and did really well. We've always known he's a strong boy but he was good on the ball as well.

"Marcus Browning is 38 years old but has looked as fit as anyone so far and Aaron Cornwall is a very, very talented boy – he's got pro quality in lots of ways – but it's his consistency we're looking at. Both of those will have another go.

"Of the others, Jamie Taylor is one for the future and has got a lot of quality. He'll be good enough in the end, it's just whether he's got the strength to play at our level in the short term."

Britton confirmed that Perrin will take over from Dunn against Hayes and that new signing Mike Perrott is in line for his first City appearance.

Robinson, a close-season addition from Forest Green, is recovering from a lower back operation and will learn next week whether he stands to miss the start of the season, which begins on August 8.

Adam Connolly is not expected to be fit for action until next Friday's clash at Swindon Supermarine after undergoing surgery on bone growth at the top of his shin.

And Britton is still waiting to hear back from young midfielder Sam Wade, who has not been in touch with the manager since training with the club last month.

Meanwhile, the City chief has poured cold water on speculation that Weston-super-Mare forward Marvin Brown is training with City.

Recruiting a new striker is Britton's top priority after Dave Gilroy, City's leading scorer in each of the past two seasons, left for Newport County in May.

He said: "Marvin Brown is very, very capable but he hasn't trained with us.

"I'm interested in any quality strikers around but I'm not going to rush in.

"I was trying to bring in Matt Green from Torquay, but he's gone to Oxford on a long-term loan. Manny Williams was another we were interested in but he has gone to Havant & Waterlooville."