Furious County chief Christian Fuchs struggled to conceal his anger after seeing his Exiles pay the highest penalty for soft defending in a strange clash that the Port could have easily won.
The Austrian gazed on in disbelief at a number of the goals his side shipped in a calamitous reverse made all the worse from the 70th minute dismissal of borrowed Leicester City striker Nathan Opoku, ironically County's first-half goal-scorer, for a second bookable offence, moments after he was cautioned for fouling.
It was an opportunity lost for the Port who saw relegation rivals Harrogate, Bristol Rovers, Shrewsbury all lose - Crawley garnishing vital reward at promotion-seeking Walsall in a goalless draw. Just a point would have lifted Newport off the League Two trap door.
Despite lengthy periods of excellence in a feisty clash that saw seven players booked and Opoku sent off, County allowed Alex Henderson to open the scoring for Accrington less than two minutes after kick off, further strikes from Isaac Sinclair, Paddy Madden and Isaac Heath after the break also breaching the leaky Exile rear-guard.
Fuchs, such a diligent left-back in his playing days in a Premiership title winning team at Leicester almost ten years ago and during those 78 caps with Austria, many as skipper, reflected, "We were on top in that game and have lost 4-1! We have shown what we can do in previous games, but this is a heavy defeat.
"The overall performance was not the worst I have seen this season, but we have given away two really poor goals defensively - and that has killed us. We just can't continue to be making the defensive mistakes.
"As stupid as it might sound, we had more of the game."
Asked if the defeat was a huge set back in a week that Newport face relegation foes Bristol Rovers in a crucial date at the Memorial Stadium on Saturday Fuchs replied, "It's obviously hard. We conceded an early goal and our mistakes have really hurt us. If we continue this way the season is going to get very tough.
"They [Accrington] scored two goals while we were chasing the game, looking for a way back. But we can't keep on making the defensive errors we are. We need to put things right, and quickly."
Questioned if he thought not collecting points against Accrington was frustrating because relegation rivals had slumped around Newport, Fuchs said, "Favourable results help, but it is all about us and what we do. We must address things ourselves.
"I am disappointed, because it was in our own hands to get the points tonight."
On Opoku's dismissal, Fuchs seemed to have few complaints and reflected, "I don't think Nathan went in to hurt the player [Madden]."
Looking ahead to the forthcoming scrap with Bristol Rovers, Fuchs observed, "It is a game with a lot at stake. We must now show a reaction after this."
