Newport's dress-rehearsal for their FA Cup fifth round tie with Manchester City on Saturday ended in defeat as they fluffed their lines in front of goal and paid a heavy price late on as they lost 1-0 at home to MK Dons.
MK Dons substitute Chuks Aneke nicked a goal in the 88th minute to put his side back in the play-off picture in League Two and made up for last weekend's 3-2 home defeat to Swindon.
Newport boss Michael Flynn will not expect to see his side get as many opportunities against the Premier League champions at the weekend and will also be hoping for some better luck. They hit the cross-bar three times and the post once.
But more alarmingly for Flynn was seeing how often they got caught on the break.
MK Dons manager Paul Tisdale had given his side the hair dryer treatment in the wake of that defeat to Swindon and made five changes to his starting line-up, giving Stuart Moore his league debut in goal.
In the end it paid rich dividends after an alarming run of five defeats in their last six games.