Rob Milsom's penalty in first-half stoppage time condemned Newport to defeat at Sutton United.
Despite having much of the play at Gander Green Lane, Sutton took the lead in the 45th minute when Milsom tucked home a penalty.
Finn Azaz had the first effort at goal of the game, with his effort from the right of the box being sent just wide of the far post after eight minutes.
Mickey Demetriou forced Dean Bouzanis into his first save, but it was an easy one for the Aussie as Demetriou's attempt was a half-volley from a long way out and it merely bounced into the arms of Bouzanis.
Bouzanis had to make a better save soon after though when a long throw from the right ended with Scot Bennett heading into the path of James Waite whose fierce strike from a tight angle on the right of the box was well kept out by the Sutton stopper.
And a minute later, Bouzanis had to make a fine diving save to his right to keep out Matt Dolan's shot from the left of the box as County cranked up the gears.
Sutton sent two efforts wide of either post within a minute though with Isaac Olaofe heading tamely wide of the left post and a quick free-kick from the centre circle by Louis John was sent well far of Joe Day's other post.
Matt Dolan would then have a pop from range but his strike sailed over the bar while Craig Eastmond suffered a similar fate two minutes later with a volley that went wide.
Sutton got the breakthrough in first-half stoppage time though when Milsom converted his penalty after Scot Bennett brought David Ajiboye down in the box.
County came close to levelling matters before the half came to an end, buy Demetriou headed a corner from the left narrowly over the bar.
In search of the equaliser, County started the second half brightly, but Telford nodded a long Demetriou throw from the right wide and Rob Street sent an acrobatic effort over the bar after Telford nodded the ball across the box towards Street.
County's closest moment was an unorthodox one though. In the 67th minute, a long kick down pitch by goalkeeper Joe Day was sliced by Sutton defender Louis John towards goal.
It looped over his own keeper, and bounced off the right post and away as Sutton avoided a comical own goal to keep their lead.
Telford and James Waite both saw attempts go wide for County, as did Ajiboye for Sutton, but the scoreline didn't change in the second half.
Sutton United: Dean Bouzanis, Jon Barden, Ben Goodliffe, Louis John, David Ajiboye, Kenny Davis, Craig Eastmond (C) (Alistair Smith '45), Isaac Olaofe, Enzio Boldewijn, Rob Milsom, Richie Bennett (Omar Bugiel '83)
Subs not used: Stuart Nelson, Ben Wyatt, Coby Rowe, Ricky Korboa, Donovan Wilson
Newport County: Joe Day, Cameron Norman, James Clarke, Mickey Demetriou (C), Ryan Haynes, Scot Bennett (Courtney Baker-Richardson '78), Matt Dolan, Finn Azaz, James Waite (Lewis Collins '85), Dom Telford, Rob Street (Kevin Ellison '88)
Subs not used: Nick Townsend, Josh Pask, Aaron Lewis, Jake Cain