Roberto Martinez made a welcome return to his former club last night as the Swans were made to work for their victory at League Two side Chester City.

The former Blues midfielder kept up his trend of fielding two separate teams in each half and it paid off as the Swans beat Simon Davies' Chester side by the odd goal in five.

Darren Pratley got the ball rolling for the visitors as he struck on early on while new signing Stefan Morrison, on for the injured Gorka Pintado midway through the first-half, made an immediate impact to make it 2-0.

Chester had a mini revival in the second period as Jay Harris struck twice to make it 2-2 with six minutes to go, but the Swans re-took the lead a minute later through Marcos Painter's angled strike.

Angel Rangel and Jason Scotland continued their absence from the side through injury, and with news that Gorka Pintado could miss the opening game of the season following his injury at Chester Roberto could be without two of his key strikers as the Swans kick-start their Championship campaign at Charlton in eight days' time.

There was one new face in the Swansea City line-up at the Deva Stadium in the shape of goalkeeper Derek Soutar. The 27-year-old former Scotland Under-21 international, who started his career with hometown club Dundee, was released by Aberdeen last term following two seasons with the Pittodrie club.

Dorus de Vries was called into action early on, saving from Ryan Lowe and Kevin Ellison, before the Swans broke the deadlock through Darren Pratley. The midfield man latched on to Matty Collins' pass over the home defence and fired past John Danby and into the net.

Gorka Pintado limped off midway through the half and his replacement, 18-year-old Stefan Morrison, side-footed a Febian Brandy cross into the net to make it 2-0.

On-loan Espanyol man Jordi Gomez almost made it three but his strike went wide of Danby's goal.

Roberto made wholesale changes at the break, including the introduction of trialist Soutar, as he continued to take a look at his entire squad before the big kick-off on August 9.

The Swans came close through Brandy and Shaun MacDonald but the home side continued to fight as Shaun Kelly had his effort cleared off the line by Owain Tudur Jones while Kevin Ellison fired against the crossbar.

Chester's persistence paid off as they pulled it back to 2-2 through substitute Jay Harris, a summer acquisition from Accrington Stanley, but with five minutes to go Chad Bond's touch set-up full-back Painter to score from the angle and ensure victory for the visiting side.

Swans (first half): De Vries, Collins, Monk ©, Williams, Bessone, MacDonald, Gomez, Pratley, Orlandi, Pintado (Morrison, 20), Brandy.

(Second half): Soutar, Tate ©, Serran, Lawrence, Painter, MacDonald (Gower, 64), Bodde, Tudur Jones (Allen, 81), Britton, Orlandi (Butler, 64), Brandy (Bond, 75).