Newport County are yet to win in 2025 after failing to hold on to their early lead at Rodney Parade
Newport County's worrying run of form continued as Joe Westley scored on his Swindon Town debut to condemn the Exiles to a fifth straight defeat.
Nelson Jardim's side remain just six points off the bottom two having failed to capitalise on Kyle Hudlin's early opener.
In contrast, Swindon's improvements under Ian Holloway continue as Harry Smith's leveller three minutes later set the visitors up for a comeback victory,.
And that was sealed when Westley, son of former Newport manager Graham, slotted home from close range just 12 minutes into his EFL debut.
Graham Westley was County manager as the side last battled against relegation from the Football League in 2016, eventually being sacked with the side bottom of the table.
Signed on loan from Burnley on Thursday, his 20-year-old son made a the decisive impact in a tense affair as both sides looked to edge away from trouble.
Swindon moved up to 16th with their first back-to-back league wins of the season, but it is just one win in three months for Jardim's side with the head coach receiving some criticism from supporters at the final whistle.
Such frustration seemed a long way off when Hudlin, restored to the starting line-up, grabbed his fifth of the campaign after just 12 minutes, ensuring he was in the right place after David Ajiboye's surging run and shot was only parried by Town goalkeeper Jack Bycroft.
It should have been the platform for the hosts to ease the tension and calm the nerves, but instead they conceded within three minutes as Smith smashed home.
If there was a touch of good luck of the ricochet to tee up the striker as Newport failed to clear their lines, there was nothing fortuitous in the way the 29-year-old connected with the volley to beat the recalled Nick Townsend.
An edgy affair continued without chances, although Newport did look the more threatening as they utilised the pace of Ajiboye and Bobby Kamwa on counter attacks.
But Swindon, starting sharper after the interval, came closest to a second as midfielder Nnamdi Ofoboh spun and shot from the edge of the area to prompt a strong, one-handed save from Townsend.
County responded by introducing Josh Martin for his debut two days after the former Notts County man arrived at the club.
But Swindon's new boy Westley made the greater impact, slotting home from Tunmise Sobowale's low cross after Newport were caught in possession.
While Swindon will look to continue their momentum at home against struggling Tranmere on Tuesday, Newport's attempts to stop the rot see them head to play-off chasing Salford.
Newport County head coach Nelson Jardim told BBC Sport Wales: "It's another tough one to take. It was a game of two moments with the way we conceded the two goals.
"We're disappointed not to have done better – I think the fans and those boys deserved more. The way we fought showed we are not soft, we tried to fight, but those two moments took the game.
"The first goal is a long ball and flicked and it dropped for him and he took his chance, and the second is from a throw-in where we lost the ball. Apart from that they only had set-pieces, but the positive was the way we fought, they proved a lot and we have to take this into the next couple of games and this will turn around, for sure."
Swindon Town manager Ian Holloway told BBC Radio Wiltshire: "I'm delighted. It was a tough game. They played well, but we matched it. They went in front, but we responded well and I know that I've got people on the bench who can make a difference now.
"The lads don't like going behind and I'm challenging them to show what they can do.
"It's the most important week of my life so far; this week can change all that we're hoping for, but we've got to earn that right and that was a fantastic performance.
"Their fans made it horrible; I've never heard a noise like it. But, at the end of the day, our fans were singing at the end and theirs weren't."
