A goal in each half condemned County to defeat at home to Salford.
A Finn Azaz own goal and Brandon Thomas-Asante got Salford all three points at Rodney Parade.
After a quiet 10 minutes for both sides, County almost had the lead in the 11th minute when Jake Cain picked out Dom Telford from close range but the latter's sliding effort under pressure from Salford defenders was smothered by Tom King on the goalline.
Nick Townsend was needed to make a save to deny Brandon Thomas-Asante from an acute angle on the right-hand side of the box.
County were back up the other end but Jake Cain's strike from just inside the box was held by King.
Newport began to open Salford up midway through the first half but our next chance saw a Salford defender nip in to clear behind for a corner to prevent a certain goal with Finn Azaz almost picking out Telford in space.
From the resulting corner, Courtney Baker-Richardson knocked an effort wide.
Thomas-Asante continued to be a problem for County but his next effort went high and wide from range.
It was then Ollie Cooper's turn to go close for Newport - he shot wide from just inside the area while Baker-Richardson hit an effort off the post and behind following a Cooper cross from the right.
Townsend was needed again to make a superb save down to his left to deny Matty Lund but Salford did get their goal in the 44th minute with an Azaz own goal.
The second half started how the first ended, with Salford finding the back of the net.
Six minutes after the restart, Thomas-Asante got the goal his play deserved by firing home from close range for 2-0.
Cain was the first man in Amber to get a sniff at goal following the second strike for the Ammies, but the midfielder struck wide of the right-hand post from the edge of the box.
Azaz was denied by King who saved down to his left too.
County's best chance of the second half though saw Telford head narrowly wide of the left-hand post after connecting with a deep free-kick by Robbie Willmott.
Newport County: Nick Townsend, Cameron Norman, James Clarke, Mickey Demetriou (C), Aaron Lewis (Ryan Haynes '56), Robbie Willmott, Jake Cain (Scot Bennett '67), Finn Azaz (Lewis Collins '67), Courtney Baker-Richardson, Dom Telford
Subs not used: Joe Day, Priestley Farquharson, Alex Fisher, Timmy Abraham
Salford City: Tom King, Donald Love, Jason Lowe, Ash Eastham (C), Matthew Lund, Josh Morris, Jordan Turnbull, Aramide Oteh (Tyreik Wright '70), Liam Shephard (Tylor Golden '32), Brandon Thomas-Asante, Theo Vassell
Subs not used: Joel Torrance, Corrie Ndaba, D'Mani Mellor, Andy Smith