Stevenage have a history of coming good in the FA Cup - Mark Hollis relives THAT Newcastle United game

Following the injustice from the 1998 FA Cup matches, from the moment the balls were drawn the 2011 rematch with Newcastle United was something which ignited a passion within Stevenage fans.

In what was, at the time, an unremarkable debut season in League 2, Stevenage took to the field with a desire that quickly had Newcastle rattled. An early long range effort from Michael Bostwick tested Tim Krul low to his right and from there on, the match was one way traffic.

Having dominated the game from the off with resolute defending and a masterclass of control and tenacity in the middle of the park, what was most impressive were the relentless waves of attack that eventually saw Stacy Long – somewhat fortuitously – put us ahead. A wayward strike from 20 yards deflected viciously off the face of Mike Williamson sending Krul the wrong way and the stands into raptures.

Bostwick’s fine strike five minutes later put Stevenage in a position they never looked in danger of losing.

Chiek Tiote’s flying tackle on Jon Ashton further compounded the Stevenage ascendency to the point that when Joey Barton pulled a goal back with a sensational strike in injury time, the Stevenage faithful didn’t even break their ‘Dale Cavese’ chant.

In fact, our dominance was such that from the kick off John Mousinho drove at the Newcastle defence with utter defiance and played a through ball to Peter Winn so nonchalant that it would have been cruel if he hadn’t lifted it over the onrushing Krul to restore the two goal cushion.

For me, this result epitomised everything that squad was at the time - passionate, determined, united and at times unplayable.

One of the greatest Stevenage performances I can remember.

* Mark Hollis is the press officer for Stevenage Supporters’ Association