In the week preceding his League Two side's 3-1 third round win against Newcastle on Saturday, Westley rammed home the story of 'David and Goliath' and how the little Israelite had defeated the giant champion of the Philistines by design, not by chance.

It explains in part the physical desire and the energy with which Stevenage overwhelmed their Premier League visitors and gained sweet revenge for their famous fourth round knockout by Alan Shearer's Newcastle 13 years ago.

Westley said: "I don't think you win if you don't expect to win. We talked beforehand about David and Goliath. We talked about the fact that David had a plan. David knew what his strengths were. David didn't play Goliath's game. He played his own game.

"And we went out there and played our game and got the result by doing that."

It was a game of high energy and total commitment by a side playing their first season in the Football League.

Rarely can a Premier League team have been so outplayed by opposition 73 places below them in the football pyramid.

A strike from Stacy Long, via a deflection off Michael Williamson, plus goals from Michael Bostwick and Peter Winn were the vital statistics behind Stevenage's triumph but while Joey Barton hit a 35-yard screamer in consolation for Newcastle in reality the scoreline did not flatter Westley's side.

"The best moment of my footballing career," was how appropriately-named goal scorer Winn summed it up. "The biggest thing I've ever done."

Extra motivation was provided by the fact that Westley took a non-league Farnborough side to Highbury in the fourth round seven years ago and left feeling humiliated. He was determined this latest brush with the big time would be one to celebrate.

"I remember talking to the lads and saying one of the big disappointments in my career was going to Highbury with Farnborough and putting on such a weak show," Westley said.

"People said 'But you scored against the Double winners'. Yeah we did but we went down to 10 men, got spanked 5-1 and I didn't feel very good that night.

"This time I said to my players I want to work with a group who have got the mentality and the attitude and the desire to take those opportunities. Don't go in there and listen to all the positives they tell you about these great players at the top of the game. They are not infallible."

The truth is Stevenage did not just display the greater energy. They displayed all the quality against a Newcastle side who had beaten Wigan and then West Ham 5-0 in the past week.

According to Westley that played into Stevenage's hands.

He said: "The best thing for us was that they won 5-0 because there was a lot of talk about how they played. It's a good thing if a side gets sucked into successes.

"Next weekend Chesterfield aren't going to give us the points. We have to go there, get down off the crest of a wave and go to battle again. If you get too carried away you forget to do your job.

"My job is to focus on the job in hand. If I lose control of myself then the others will soon lose control of themselves. But I'll certainly smile and enjoy the victory."

So will all those neutrals who believe the FA Cup can still deliver the most thrilling action in sport.

Westley said: "Perhaps this will give the cup an enormous boost. We have all got into a mindset into believing that the Premier League is untouchable. There hasn't been a big lower league v Premier League victory of this type for a while.

"People in the week were asking is the magic of the cup still alive. Well, the magic is alive and results like this prove that."