Crawley climbed off the bottom of League Two after a goal in each half from James Tilley and Ashley Nadesan gave them a 2-1 home win over fellow managerless side Newport.
The Reds hung on for only their second league win of the season and survived a nervy finale after substitute Nathan Moriah-Welsh reduced the deficit with a superb strike.
Interim Crawley boss Lewis Young gave a league debut to goalkeeper David Robson, 20, on loan from Hull, and he was beaten after 21 minutes but Will Evans' 30-yard free-kick cannoned back off the post.
Tilley broke the deadlock after 40 minutes from close in after keeper Joe Day slipped outside the area allowing Tom Fellows to cross.
Day came to County's rescue nine minutes after the interval by tipping over a goal-bound shot from Tom Nichols after neat work by Jack Powell.
But Day was beaten again after 57 minutes when Nadesan headed in Powell's free-kick for his second of the season.
Newport striker Omar Bogle put a great chance over before Moriah-Welsh shot weakly at Robson after breaking through.
Moriah-Welsh was on target after 79 minutes with a tremendous 25-yard drive to reduce the deficit and County piled on the pressure in the closing stages but the Reds survived.