Monday night saw the Foxes provide the opposition to Newcastle reserves for a second successive game on Tyneside, but this time it was the visitors who departed from Whitley Park with a thoroughly deserved victory. 

Adam Armstrong bagged a brace when the Foxes lost 1-2 here in the U21 Cup last December, but the striker was here only as a spectator tonight on his 17th birthday - one of eight changes from the last home fixture.

The visitors looked brighter in the opening stages but didn't really test United 'keeper Jak Alnwick, with former Northampton Town loanee Jacob Blyth twice blasting wildly over and seeing one other effort blocked.

What proved to be Newcastle's most convincing passage of play saw Jonathyn Quinn narrowly fail to connect with a Rolando Aarons centre from the left on 15 minutes, before firing at Foxes custodian Adam Smith when Jamie Sterry returned the ball from the opposite flank.

A 22nd minute cross from Michael Richardson towards the back post then exposed the City defence, but Greg Olley could only steer his shot wide of the target.

As the half wore on, Leicester threatened further and after further miscues from Blyth, the opener arrived just before half time when the ball ran loose to Adam Dawson, who lifted it over Alnwick and into the empty net for his second goal in as many visits to Whitley Park.

Magpies Coach Peter Beardsley attempted to kick-start a revival by introducing Alex Gilliead in an advanced role shortly after the interval, Olley dropping back into his more usual central midfield slot.

However the nearest Gilliead came was when a long ball reached him on 68 minutes and he made his way into the Leicester box under pressure from two defenders, before firing over the crossbar.

Aarons did force Smith into a save with 16 minutes left, but a physically superior City side always looked likely to increase their advantage as they adjusted better to a tricky playing surface that began to cut up in places.