Newport County signed a new striker, but then crashed to a home defeat with a former Exiles defender scoring a crucial goal.
Experienced forward Paul Hayes joined County, while Ryan Jackson netted for Colchester United in a 2-1 win for the Essex club.
Frenchman Mikael Mandron was the other U’s scorer, while Shawn McCoulsky was on target for Newport.
County suffered their first home League Two defeat since March – a run of 10 matches – and it came on manager Michael Flynn’s 37th birthday.
“If losing our unbeaten league run at home was always going to happen on a day, it was going to happen on my birthday,” said Flynn.
The good news for County was that former Wycombe striker Hayes joined the club.
The 34-year-old left Wycombe Wanderers and was available outside the transfer window.
The former Norwich City trainee Hayes has made more than 600 league and cup appearances during his career, scored 145 goals and had three spells at Scunthorpe United.
“Paul is an experienced, quality addition to our squad and will help the strikers who are already at the club,” said Flynn.
“He is still hungry and I’m really looking forward to working with him.”
Hayes was unavailable for Newport’s League Two home clash with Colchester because international clearance had not been granted, but he will be in their squad against Mansfield Town at Rodney Parade on Saturday.
Flynn, though, was left bitterly disappointed by the defeat on his birthday, while U’s manager John McGreal said: “It was a terrific away performance against a team that could have gone top three with a win.
“Straight after half-time big Sam (Walker) made a great save when their player went straight through and then we had a bit of fortune when they’ve hit a post.
“They changed the shape and literally threw four or five forward and it was incessant. Newport are a tough, strong team to play against and we held out.”
Colchester scored two goals in four second half minutes and Flynn said: “We have to make sure we go on another long unbeaten run and that starts on Saturday (v Mansfield at home).”
The loss of captain Josh Labadie with a hamstring injury after 14 minutes was a major blow for County and Flynn admits he is concerned.
“It doesn’t look good at the moment,” he said. “We’ll find out more on Thursday when it settles down and it stops bleeding. He is a big loss because we missed him as soon as he went off.”
Newport County: Day; White, Bennett, Demetriou; Pipe (McCoulsky 75), Tozer, Dolan (Reynolds 78), Butler; Labadie (Rigg 15); Nouble, Amond. Subs not used: Bittner, O’Brien, Owen-Evans, Quigley
Referee: Darren England
Attendance: 2,704
