Soccer – FA Cup:League Two Stevenage produced one of the great FA Cup shocks when they knocked Premier League Newcastle out of the competition at Broadhall Way. It proved to be a miserable day for the north east as Sunderland and Middlesbrough were also dumped out by lower league opposition.
Newcastle suffered the most stunning reverse of the trio as they were comprehensively beaten 3-1 by lowly Stevenage.
A Mike Williamson own goal and a wonderful strike from Michael Bostwick put the home side in control before the Magpies had Cheik Tiote sent off for a wild lunge on Jon Ashton.
Joey Barton pulled a goal back in stoppage time but Peter Winn slotted home the clincher for Stevenage to give their fans memories to even exceed those of their famous draw against the same opponents in 1998.
Sunderland, meanwhile, were beaten 2-1 by Notts County. Craig Westcarr and Lee Hughes got the goals for the visitors before Darren Bent pulled one back from the spot for the hosts as Black Cats boss Steve Bruce paid the price for resting several first-team regulars.
And a woeful day for the region was completed when Middlesbrough were dumped out by League Two side Burton Albion and Hartlepool lost 4-1 at Watford.
Boro had led through a Gary O’Neil goal but two Shaun Harrad goals in the last eight minutes sealed a 2-1 win for the home side.
Stevenage manager Graham Westley felt his side were good value for their victory. "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 per cent of that. We went into the game with that plan and we did a little bit more than 20 per cent 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."
"We haven't had the best start in the league but the players are nice and fit and only going to bet better."
Stevenage’s Stacy Long agreed that his side had earned their place in the fourth round. "I think we deserved the result. We worked our socks off and played some great football. I think the result was fair,” he said.
"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."
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew confirmed he would appeal Tiote's red card, claiming there was no malicious intent in the midfielder's lunge at 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 added. "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."
FA Cup Third Round Results
Arsenal 1-1 Leeds
Blackburn 1-0 QPR
Bolton 2-0 York
Brighton 3-1 Portsmouth
Bristol City 0-3 Sheff Wed
Burnley 4-2 Port Vale
Burton Albion 2-1 Middlesbrough
Coventry 2-1 Crystal Palace
Doncaster 2-2 Wolves
Fulham 6-2 Peterborough
Huddersfield 2-0 Dover
Hull 2-3 Wigan
Lincoln City 3-4 Hereford
Millwall 1-4 Birmingham
Norwich 0-1 Leyton Orient
Preston 1-2 Nott'm Forest
Reading 1-0 West Brom
Scunthorpe 1-5 Everton
Sheff Utd 1-3 Aston Villa
Southampton 2-0 Blackpool
Stevenage 3-1 Newcastle
Stoke 1-1 Cardiff
Sunderland 1-2 Notts County
Swansea 4-0 Colchester
Torquay 1-0 Carlisle
Watford 4-1 Hartlepool
West Ham 2-0 Barnsley
