Eddie Howe admits Newcastle midfield 'didn't function' in Brighton defeat

.A brace from Danny Welbeck sealed the win for the hosts, with Nick Woltemade's second-half equaliser not enough to rescue a point for the Magpies.

"We're disappointed with the first half," Howe said. "We made a bright start but faded quickly. We were loose on the ball and didn't play with our normal clarity. The midfield - they're brilliant players - but they didn't function well today. We didn't as a team."

Brighton dominated the first half, and although the Magpies improved after the break - eventually equalising through a clever flick from Woltemade - they were caught again late as Welbeck netted his second.

Newcastle's defensive lapses in the closing stages are becoming a pattern. All three of their league defeats this season have come via late goals: 96th minute vs Arsenal, 100th vs Liverpool, and 84th vs Brighton.

Despite a strong second-half push, Howe's unchanged side - many of whom had just returned from international duty - couldn't find a winner before conceding.

"We were the dominant team when we conceded the second," Howe added. "They didn't have many attacks, but they made it count."

Woltemade, who now has five goals in six starts since his 65 million pound move from Stuttgart, said the team felt like they were on track to win after his goal:

"First half wasn't good. Second half had good energy. After the equaliser, we felt we could win, but that's football. We lost it in the first half." 

READ MORE: Vincent Kompany full of praise for Harry Kane after 400th career goal