JUST 22,727 people were in attendance at St James’ as Newcastle United were beaten 4-2 on penalties by Leicester City, after drawing 1-1 in 90 minutes, in the League Cup second round on Wednesday night.

Yoshinori Muto’s second-half equaliser cancelled out James Maddison’s free-kick on a strange evening, but Steve Bruce was left disappointed at the end of it.

The Magpies boss admitted his frustration at the result, but was pleased with the defensive strength shown once again.

“It’s frustrating. We have to accept it and get on with it,” he said. 

“It’s been cruel to us. I can’t do anything but with the problems we had, the way we went about our work, I was delighted. 

“Defensively we’ve looked rock solid. I just hope the attacking side comes now, which I think it will.”

Newcastle, who made seven changes from their impressive win at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, started quite well, but the first sight of goal came for Leicester in under a minute. 

Ayoze Perez, booed on his first return to Tyneside after his summer departure, saw an effort blocked.

The game was flat, with the sparse crowd struggling to create much of an atmosphere in the opening stages, but the hosts did go close when Jonjo Shelvey struck over the bar.

After 34 minutes, having created very little, the Foxes went ahead rather fortuitously. Maddison’s free-kick took a huge deflection Matt Ritchie and wrong-footed Karl Darlow in the Newcastle goal.

With half-time approaching, Hamza Choudary was booked for a foul on Ritchie, which ended the former Scotland man’s night early. Calls for a red card were ignored, as Christian Atsu entered the fray.

Bruce was fuming at the tackle and said he couldn’t believe the “mess” Ritchie was in after being forced off before questioning whether Choudary should have seen red.

“I was forced to make the changes, we didn’t want to do it and we’ve lost three tonight,” he said.

“The mess Matt Ritchie’s in — it was horror challenge. When I see the mess on his leg.

“We fear ankle damage, he’s got three stitches in his leg. I don’t want players sent off but when it’s horror challenges, it isn’t good.”

Seven minutes after the break, Newcastle levelled through Muto. Fabian Schar’s exquisite long ball found Jetro Willems, who tumbled in the box after a challenge from Ricardo Pereira, but the Japanese striker was on hand for his first home goal in a black and white shirt.

Moments later, Perez raced through on the counter-attack, and the stadium jeered as one. Shelvey, who lost possession originally, was on hand to make the block.

It wasn’t a great evening on his former stomping ground, but Perez almost struck again when Maddison’s free-kick fell to him in the area, but it was snuffed out by a regimented Newcastle defence. 

Shelvey then warmed the palms of Kasper Schmeichel with an excellent strike from distance.

Penalties were looming large, but there was still one more chance for Leicester and it fell to Perez. The Spaniard found himself in space inside the box, but blazed over.

Shelvey and Isaac Hayden missed crucial kicks in the shootout, allowing Jamie Vardy to step up and send the Foxes through to round three.