NEWPORT County AFC started the Nelson Jardim era with a devastating 3-2 defeat after Cardiff City youngster Joel Colwill struck at the death.
The Exiles looked set to stop the rot in League Two after finishing last season with eight successive defeats under manager Graham Coughlan.
However, 10-man County were hit by a sucker punch in added time when Colwill struck his second of the game at Whaddon Road, bursting down the right and slamming past Nick Townsend.
It was a cruel, cruel end after the Exiles looked the more likely side to take the spoils after fighting back from 2-0 down.
County made a bright start but conceded a pair of soft goals to have a mountain to climb, Bluebirds loanee Colwill volleying in on his debut in the 22nd minute and then Liam Dulson making no mistake from close range in the 27th.
However, the Exiles were back in it just past the half hour when Courtney Baker-Richardson slotted from the penalty spot after a rash challenge on the lively Bobby Kamwa by Lewis Payne, who spent last season on loan at Rodney Parade.
It was level-pegging two minutes before the break when Oliver Greaves scored a goal on his EFL debut, slamming home at the second attempt in front of the travelling Amber Army.
County weren’t content with a share of the spoils and had some dangerous moments through Kamwa and a huge chance in added time for defender James Clarke.
Down to 10 men after an injury to striker Hamzad Kargbo after they had used all their allocated changes, it looked like they would have to settle for a draw.
But then Colwill got down the right in the 96th minute - with left-back Anthony Glennon down - and hammered in a shot to make it nine losses on the spin, the worst run since going out of the Football League in 1988.
It cruelly meant that head coach Jardim became the first Newport boss to start their reign with defeat since Graham Westley in 2016.
Take the result out of it and it was an encouraging performance after a summer of huge change, one that deserved to get the total up and running.
County were not only without last season’s top scorer Will Evans after his £200,000 move to League One Mansfield but influential midfielder Bryn Morris, who missed his first game in any competition since arriving from Grimsby last summer.
The Exiles’ XI featured five debutants – left-back Anthony Glennon, midfielders Ciaran Brennan and Cameron Antwi and forwards Greaves and Kamwa.
Four more summer arrivals were on the seven-man bench in goalkeeper Jacob Carney, versatile defender Cameron Evans, midfielder Kai Whitmore and powerful striker Hamzad Kargbo.
The Robins, with Michael Flynn in the hotseat, were captained by County legend Scot Bennett while their starting line-up also featured ex-Exiles full-backs Ryan Haynes and Payne, with goalkeeper Joe Day among the substitutes.
County started attacking the ‘Tom King End’ – where the goalkeeper famously broke a world record when scoring from a goal kick.
They were the first to threaten inside the first minute when Glennon was given space to whip a ball that was cleared with striker Baker-Richardson lurking.
That was followed by a smart save by Owen Evans, the Robins’ goalkeeper from Newport, after Kamwa cut in from the left and crossed with his effort set to dip in at the far post.
County are keen to play possession-based football but weren’t shy in going long and getting crosses in as they bid to get a foothold.
It was an encouraging start for the visitors with the first alarming moment in the 13th minute when Brennan was booked for a rash challenge in midfield.
Cheltenham’s first effort came in the 20th minute when Payne cut in from the right and fired a couple of yards over with his left foot, swiftly followed by the first clanger of the new style.
County were caught in possession but Colwill failed to hit the target, but the young Welshman made no mistake in the 22nd minute.
After blocks by Kyle Jameson, with a hint of hand, and then Brennan in the box, Colwill slammed in on the volley from close to the penalty spot to reward the Robins’ spell of mini-pressure.
One swiftly turned into two after Payne was given too much time down the right – with Glennon left on his backside – to cross and force the defence to scramble.
Experienced frontman Ryan Bowman was denied but teed up Dulson to slot from close range.
The Exiles needed a response and got one with Kamwa standing up Payne and beating him, with the Southampton prospect’s sliding challenge giving referee Ruebyn Ricardo a simple decision.
Baker-Richardson went to his left from the spot for his ninth goal for the club at the start of his second spell and it was game on in the 31st minute.
Brennan was alert to save his side in the 37th minute when Nick Townsend spilled a long-range shot by Ibrahim Bakare with Bowman ready to pounce That act was important – County were level in the 43rd minute.
Neat link-up play between captain Aaron Wildig and Baker-Richardson released Greaves on the edge of the area.
The forward benefited from a lucky ricochet, fired at Evans and then made no mistake from the rebound to level things up as half-time approached.
It was a cagey start to the second half with no clearcut chances as the hour passed, County concentrating in defence although Wildig was cautioned for a clumsy tackle that left Bennett needing treatment on his right ankle.
Jardim made a double change after 64 minutes when midfielder Antwi was replaced by Whitmore and Nathan Wood, at the ground where he scored his only professional goal to date, came on for Greaves.
That was followed by another Kamwa moment with his powerful shot on target headed away by Bakare with Evans diving behind his defender.
The dangerman went close again with 68 on the clock after a well-crafted move from a corner led to a Wood shot that took a deflection to Clarke, who laid the ball off for his winger to fire on target but be denied by a block.
Kamwa’s encouraging debut ended after 77 minutes when the winger, who only joined ahead of the final friendly at Hereford, was replaced by forward Luke Jephcott.
Yet Cheltenham were close to getting their lead back in the 79th minute but Bowman failed to hit the target with a header at the back post from a Payne cross.
The final Exiles change was made with six to go when giant striker Hamzad Kargbo was given a debut after the hard-working Baker-Richardson had emptied the tank.
The big striker promptly had a chance to open his account but nodded a tough opening wide under pressure after Wood headed a corner back into the danger area.
Keen to make an impact, the former QPR youngster then suffered what looked like a serious shoulder injury to mean that the visitors had to finish with 10 men.
County should have hit the front in the first of six added on minutes but central defender James Clarke failed to hit the target with a right-footed volley from a whipped in ball.
It could easily have been 3-2 to the Exiles, instead it finished 3-2 to the Robins.
Cheltenham scorers: Colwill (2), Dulson
County: Townsend, McLoughlin, Clarke, Jameson, Glennon, Brennan, Antwi (Whitmore 64), Wildig (captain), Greaves (Wood 64), Baker-Richardson (Kargbo 84), Kamwa (Jephcott 77).
Substitutes: Carney, Baker, Evans.
Goals: Baker-Richardson (penalty), Greaves.
Yellow: Brennan, Wildig, Baker-Richardson, Referee: Ruebyn Ricardo.
Attendance: 4,613 (1,046 County)
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