Karl Darlow lifts lid on the '˜frustration' felt in Newcastle's dressing room

Newcastle United goalkeeper Karl Darlow is congratulated by his team-mates after saving a penalty.

Darlow saved two penalties on his return to the City Ground on Friday night, but the home side scored twice in the second half to win 2-1.

The Championship leaders had Jonjo Shelvey and Paul Dummett sent off in the first half for separate incidents involving Henri Lansbury.

United manager Rafa Benitez felt Lansbury had play-acted in an attempt to get the pair dismissed.

Newcastle led at the break through a Matt Ritchie strike, but Nicklas Bendtner equalised early in the second half.

And a late own goal from Jamaal Lascelles four minutes saw United suffer a third defeat in the space of six days.

“We’re all frustrated,” said Darlow. “We went 1-0 up and everyone gathered together because we wanted to get a positive result.

“But I think we stay positive. We’ve given it our all out there – especially in the second half when it’s tough and a lot of other teams might have crumbled.

“It’s taken them until the 86th minute to break us down, so we’ve got to take the positives out of it. We all know you can’t lose two players in a Championship game and expect to get anything.

“It was a frustrating game for us. It’s a positive start, unfortunately we lose a man and that changes the dynamic of a game. Then to lose another one really did kill us off in the end.”

United had chances of their own during the second half, and they were only denied what would have been a remarkable point by an own goal.

Darlow feels the team’s spirited performanceunderlined the “character” in the dressing room.

“There’s a steel and determination about us away from home,” said the 26-year-old. “We’ve been solid and worked hard when we’ve needed to.

“We’ve got good victories away from home that we might not have done last season.

“I know it’s a different league, but it’s still tough to hold on when they’re throwing in throw-ins and corners at you. So to show the desire and determination with nine men going right to the death is something positive to take from it.

“The dressing room is different to last season though. There is character in there.”