Stacy Long's deflected shot opened the scoring and Michael Bostwick extended their lead. Cheik Tiote was sent off for the visitors but Joey Barton pulled one back before Peter Winn sealed the home team's victory.

Westley hailed his players, telling ESPN: "It was fantastic. They deserved what they got for putting in a performance like that against a Premiership side.

"We played the game on the front foot and played the better football over 90 minutes and it was good to see the goals go in.

"A lot of our thoughts today have been about how we're going to win 5-0. It might sound daft but winning 1-0 is doing 20% of that. We went into the game with that plan and we did a little bit more than 20% of that.

"In the first half we were solid, dependable, but made too many negative decisions. In the second half they took more positive decisions and trusted themselves a bit more."

He added: "We haven't had the best start in the league but the players are nice and fit and only going to bet better."

Long agreed that his side had earned their place in the fourth round.

He told ESPN: "I think we deserved the result. We worked our socks off and played some great football. I think the result was fair.

"Winning the league (Conference) last year was massive - getting in the (Football) League was so important for us.

"We're disappointed with how we're doing this season and [this match] was a change for us. We can't believe it."

Stevenage chairman Phil Wallace felt the margin of victory for his side could have been even greater.

"I thought we were by far the better team and had three or four chances in addition to the three goals we got," he said.

Asked who he wanted to face in round four, Wallace replied: "A Premiership side at home. Do I want to play away? No, I love playing at home.

"A Premiership side at home is just fantastic - you guys (television) come here and I hope we've provided good TV for you tonight."

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew confirmed he would appeal Tiote's red card, claiming there was no malicious intent in the midfielder's lunge at Jon Ashton.

"I didn't think it was a sending-off at all," he said. "I didn't think it at the time. The speed he's going at is the speed he usually tackles at - he's so fast.

"He has gone off the ground but with one foot and the ball is clearly away from the player. There was no intent.

"I've watched it three times and I've gone to see the referee and I will definitely appeal that because I think that's really harsh on the boy. He was obviously trying to get us back in the game and make an impact."

Pardew was disappointed with his players' overall display, claiming they had paid the price for a busy festive schedule but admitting the hosts had shown more hunger.

"We couldn't get the ball down and pass it," he said on ESPN. "We were running on empty.

"Four or five players looked like they were shot. We've had a really tough period. The injuries and the effort took its toll tonight and unfortunately we were on the end of a defeat that we wouldn't like.

"There's a few in there that need to understand what this game's about. The Premier League is all well and good but a few young boys got caught out tonight by the passion and the physical side of Stevenage.

"They bossed patches of the game through their sheer endeavour and enthusiasm. We've got to match that and we didn't do that."