The Nigerian midfielder took a Demarai Gray free-kick in his stride and sent in a hopeful shot from 30 yards which crashed off Fabian Balbuena's side and left Lukasz Fabianski helpless.
It was a crushing blow for Manuel Pelligrini's men who had held out for so long thanks to their inspired keeper.
The Pole in the Hammers’ goal pulled off a series of key saves to frustrate Leicester who controversially benched Jamie Vardy to begin with – before manager Claude Puel thought better of it and sent him on at half-time.
By then much of the damage was done after Fabian Balbuena gave West Ham the lead on the half hour with his first goal for the Hammers.
Felipe Anderson’s free kick was nodded across goal by Declan Rice and Balbuena lost Harry Maguire to power a header beyond Kasper Schmeichel.
Although the ball crashed off the far post, the Paraguayan was first to react as he pounced to knock home the rebound with the outside of his right boot.
At that point the Londoners looked were looking good after weathering a whirlwind start from the Foxes, when Fabianski ket them on level terms with a spectacular save to stop Balbuena’s mis-header hurtling into his own net.
But they made life hard for themselves as they went down to 10 men eight minutes after taking the lead.
Noble added to Pellegrini’s mounting selection crisis after he was sent off for a shocking tackle on Wilfred Ndidi seven minutes before half-time which will land him a three-match ban.
Noble lost control of the ball, then his senses, as he launched into an ugly tackle which was reckless, went over the top of the ball and left Ndidi in a heap as his studs caught the Nigerian above his ankle.
Despite Noble’s protests of innocence it was a shocker and he simply had to go.
Foxes fans gave Vardy a hero’s welcome when he was sent on for Rachid Ghezzal at half-time. And it looked as if the script was written for the striker to level midway through the second half but his header from Albrighton’s cross flew over from nine yards.
Moments earlier Fabianski had Foxes fans cursing him again with a brilliant double save to deny Marc Albrighton.
When Vardy had another effort saved by Fabianski late on there seemed no way back for the Foxes until that dramatic late equaliser from Ndidi.
The drama continued as the game spilled into stoppage time as Hammers sub Angelo Ogbanna fluffed a late chance after Snodgrass set him up in front of goal.
And Leicester's joy at snatching a point was dampened when Daniel Amartey had to be stretchered off with a knee injury following a challenge on Antonio.
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