Newcastle United suffered a 2-1 home defeat by Hull City at St James' Park. A promising start was dashed by Marlon King's 34th-minute penalty, and by the time King doubled his tally nine minutes after the break, they saw no return. Debutant Xisco pulled a goal back nine minutes from time, but it was too little too late.
The Spaniard, one of two deadline day arrivals, headed a 13th-minute Charles N'Zogbia corner over the bar and then failed to get in a shot after being picked out by Geremi inside the box.
Danny Guthrie went close with 19 minutes gone then skipper Michael Owen, playing behind a front two of Xisco and Shola Ameobi, almost broke the deadlock 14 minutes before the break.
The England international timed his run to perfection to meet Geremi's free-kick, but keeper Boaz Myhill produced a fine reaction save to keep out his deft header.
Newcastle did not have it all their own way and Shay Given had earlier been forced to make a smart 14th-minute save from King's snapshot.
City survived
However, the Irishman was finally beaten with 11 minutes of the half remaining after Nicky Butt slid in to try to block Peter Halmosi's cross and his momentum carried him into the Hull man.
Referee Andre Marriner pointed to the spot and although Given got his hand to King's penalty, he could not keep it out of the bottom corner.
Geremi and Ameobi both went wide of the post as the clock ran down to half-time, but City survived.
With 49 minutes gone, Owen turned smartly on the edge of the box and headed towards goal, but he saw his long-range shot blocked.
came back
However, King ran on to Halmosi's through-ball and after cutting inside the recovering N'Zogbia, curled a left-foot shot past Given to make it 2-0.
The home side would have been back in the match had Guthrie's 58th-minute cross not run to safety after Myhill had tipped it on to his own bar and then got a fortunate bounce off the keeper.
Ameobi slashed a shot wildly across goal on the hour and was taken off as Hughton introduced midfielder Ignacio Gonzalez and asked Owen to partner Xisco in attack.
Craig Fagan sent a 66th-minute free header wide. Newcastle's efforts to get themselves back into the match were laboured, but they pulled a goal back nine minutes from time when N'Zogbia's shot came back off the post and Xisco converted the rebound.
But the fightback fizzled out and Guthrie's misery was complete when he was sent off for a late challenge on Craig Fagan.
