Cameron Dawson wants Sheffield Wednesday to use FA Cup win to spur them back to where they should be

The Owls beat a Newcastle United side unbeaten in 15 matches 2-1 to extend their own unbeaten run to 18 games in all competitions and set up a fourth-round tie at home to fellow League One side Fleetwood Town.

Wednesday are one of only two Yorkshire clubs booked in for round four, along with neighbours United. Leeds United were taken to a replay by Cardiff City.

But for all that it was a joyful occasion in front of a bouncing Hillsborough, the over-riding priority remains automatic promotion from League One and even on their current run, the cushion to third-placed Ipswich Town is only two points.

The atmosphere at Hillsborough, even with the ground not full, highlighted what an embarrassment it is for a club of Wednesday's stature to be scrambling to get out of English football's third tier.

“This is what it could be like if we keep moving in the right direction," said boyhood fan Dawson, whose two saves from Alexander Isak and one from Elliot Anderson rivalled Josh Windass's goals for importance. "We want to give fans nights like this week in, week out.

"I have never seen the good days of Wednesday. I saw League One struggles, promotion to the Championship at Cardiff in 2005, I was there (at the play-off final).

"That is my first big memory of success but then it was tough days in the Championship, relegation, and then recently, the 2012 promotion from League One. Since I have been in the building, it has been tough.

"To be involved in a relegation campaign out of the Championship was really tough but to have nights like this and feel we are sort of turning it around is great for everyone."

Much is often made of cup runs "distracting" clubs with bigger fish to fry in the league but the fillip of victory against one of the best teams in the country will do more the squad more good than a weekend off.

Ipswich also went through, hammering Championship Rotherham United 4-1, and League One leaders Plymouth Argyle failed to take full advantage of their extra game, drawing 0-0 at Bolton Wanderers to widen the gap over the Owls to five points from a match more.

"Winning games is never a distraction," said Dawson. "We are fortunate we got the win and mentally, going toe-to-toe with a top Premier League club like Newcastle who are flying is fantastic for the boys.

"We showed some top passages of play against a top Premier League outfit this season, there's definitely confidence can be taken from that.

"If we can use that for confidence going back into the league next week we will do.

"I don't want to see the possession stats but I'm sure they had lots more of the ball. We dug in and got two good goals and got the job done in the end so we'll take that as confidence moving forward."

The Owls expect to learn in the next couple of days if Cardiff will exercise their right to recall centre-back Mark McGuinness from his season-long loan. His magnificent display highlighted why Wednesday hope they do not.