Carlisle United 1 Newport County 2: Omari Patrick's goal wasn't enough for Carlisle United as they suffered their first defeat of Paul Simpson's second spell in charge.
High-flying Newport took command with goals in either half from Mickey Demetriou and Finn Azaz.
Patrick gave United hope with a well-taken effort ten minutes from time.
But the Cumbrians couldn't find a way back.
It saw their four-game winning run under Simpson end in front of 4,445 fans at Brunton Park.
But it cost United no ground in their survival attempt, with the 18th-placed Blues still nine points above the drop zone.
Simpson made his first selection changes since taking charge - four of them.
Into the XI came fit-again Rod McDonald and Brennan Dickenson, plus Tobi Sho-Silva and Mitch Roberts.
Jamie Devitt missed out through injury while Jon Mellish, Kristian Dennis and Jack Armer dropped to the bench from the start that had started the previous four games.
Newport lined up with two changes, Matty Dolan and Ryan Haynes recalled in place of Aaron Lewis and Jake Cain.
An opening spell of little incident saw Dom Telford head a Ryan Haynes cross off target, while Sho-Silva's header from Omari Patrick's centre was grabbed by visiting keeper Nick Townsend.
But Newport then struck after 15 minutes after forcing a corner on the right. Dolan's wicked inswinger was met by Demetriou, who beat Dynel Simeu to the cross and powered a header across Mark Howard and into the net.
Carlisle struggled to make headway in response, with Newport defenders Demetriou and James Clarke dominant against Sho-Silva and Patrick.
And James Rowberry's visitors threatened a second on the half-hour when James Waite's shot from the right was parried by Howard.
Carlisle survived, but continued to struggle to force chances, Jordan Gibson having a couple of attempts from outside the box and Dickenson also rifling wide from 30 yards, but Newport remaining on top.
The visitors then blew a great chance to double their lead early in the second half, when a Dolan cross was headed against the bar by Clarke and Rob Street somehow missing the target from the rebound.
Simpson then made his first change, replacing Roberts with Tyrese Omotoye and moving to a wide front three which gave the Blues more attacking impetus.
One corner fell to McDonald, who rifled over the bar, while another Callum Guy delivery was nodded across goal by Morgan Feeney, but Patrick couldn't head past keeper Townsend.
And Newport then broke to double their lead on 65 minutes.
Gibson's attempted cross-field pass was misdirected, and the visitors quickly attacked on the right, sub Lewis Collins finding space to cross and Azaz arriving to smash it high past Howard.
Simpson responded by sending on Dennis and Danny Devine, and Omotoye had a chance to pull one back, but fired high and wide from the left of goal.
Two minutes later, though, Patrick did cut the deficit, showing good close control in the box before making room to send a low, accurate shot into the bottom left corner.
But United couldn't force a leveller despite late pressure, and suffered their first defeat of the second Simpson era.
United: Howard, Riley, Roberts (Omotoye 54), McDonald, Feeney, Simeu, Guy, Dickenson, Gibson (Devine 68), Patrick, Sho-Silva (Dennis 68). Not used: Norman, Armer, Mellish, Whelan.
Goal: Patrick 80
Newport: Townsend, Norman, Haynes, Demetriou, Clarke (Lewis 75), Dolan, Bennett, Waite, Azaz, Street (Fisher 89), Telford (Collins 58). Not used: Day, Abraham, Ellison, Karadogan.
Goals: Demetriou 15, Azaz 65
Ref: Martin Coy.
Crowd: 4,445 (144 Newport fans).
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