Dom Telford's 11th goal in seven league games was cancelled out by a late Freddie Sears strike as Newport and Colchester played out a 1-1 draw on Friday night.
Telford made it 1-0 in the 38th minute with a fine effort before Sears levelled the score in the 78th minute with a flicked effort past Joe Day.
Colchester's Armando Dobra had the first major chance of the game, but he could only drag his effort from inside the box wide of Day's far post after 11 minutes.
Noah Chilvers tried his luck soon after but he could only send his shot a fair way wide of the near post.
Chilvers would then strike wide again before County had their first major chance on the 20-minute mark.
Finn Azaz played a lovely through ball to Oli Cooper who was closed down well by Colchester keeper Jake Turner and Courtney Baker-Richardson then had the rebounded effort well saved by Turner before Colchester cleared.
Ryan Haynes would then test Turner with a whipped free-kick that Turner did well to dive to his right and punch behind for a County corner which came to nothing.
Robbie Willmott and Baker-Richardson would both have shots saved before Telford did what Telford does for the seventh league game in a row.
After finding space on the right of the box, the top scorer in League Two picked his spot and bent a sensational strike into the top left corner for 1-0 County in the 36th minute.
The last chance of the first half saw Chilvers shoot into the arms of Day from range, but the shot would have gone wide of the right-hand side regardless.
County's first major chance of the second 45 saw Telford hit the left-sided post from 20 yards as he went chasing for his and Newport's second.
Cooper had a shot saved from close range soon after after a Mickey Demetriou shot from the left of the box was deflected into the path of the midfielder.
Baker-Richardson had a superb chance to make it 2-0 inside the final quarter-hour but his shot was well kept out by Turner after Azaz picked out Baker-Richardson with an intelligent through ball.
Sears levelled proceedings 12 minutes from time though with his flicked effort past the on-rushing Day.
As the board went up for four minutes of added-on time, Baker-Richardson had a great chance to win it late on but his shot from a tight angle was caught by Turner while Chilvers volleyed an effort from a long way out a long way over the bar.
Colchester United: Jake Turner, Luke Chambers, Tommy Smith (C), Luke Hannant (Tom Eastman '90), Cole Skuse, Freddie Sears, Noah Chilvers, Sylvester Jasper (Alan Judge '61), Armando Dobra (Shawn McCoulsky '75), Charlie Daniels, Cameron Coxe
Subs not used: Dean Gerken, Miles Welch-Hayes, Frank Nouble, Junior Tchamadeu
Newport County: Joe Day, Cameron Norman, James Clarke, Scot Bennett, Mickey Demetriou (C), Ryan Haynes, Robbie Willmott, Finn Azaz, Oliver Cooper, Courtney Baker-Richardson, Dom Telford
Subs not used: Nick Townsend, Aaron Lewis, Kevin Ellison, Jake Cain, Lewis Collins, Alex Fisher, Timmy Abraham