Ba nets a hat trick in Newcastle's win

Newcastle striker Demba Ba gave Stoke a taste of what they missed out on with a hat-trick as the Magpies won 3-1 to move within a point of second-placed Manchester United.

The Senegal international would have been a Potters player in January as he had already agreed a move from Hoffenheim before the club pulled the plug on the move after he failed their medical.

Ba always rejected the suggestion he was not fit and subsequently joined West Ham before making his way to St James' Park in the summer after their relegation.

The 26-year-old arrived at the Britannia Stadium with a point to prove and he certainly did that as the visitors registered their first league victory at Stoke since 1985 and inflicted only the hosts' second home defeat in 2011.

Ba struck twice in the first half to give his side a comfortable lead and although Jonathan Walters pulled one back with from the spot with 15 minutes remaining Newcastle restored their two-goal cushion with a penalty of their own.

It took Ba's tally to eight goals in his last five Barclays Premier League matches and extended his side's unbeaten start to the season as they moved up to third.

Of the Stoke fans who made their displeasure known, Ba said: "If they want to boo they should boo their board."

He added: "Today I am very happy to score a hat-trick here because it is a place you come and struggle.

"It's very important when you have strikers who can run and defend.

"Today we did our best but the team at the back were very strong."

Magpies boss Alan Pardew praised his side's defensive qualities in the face of Stoke pressure, saying: "The resilience showed a different side to us, you don't have 22 points without different sides.

"They (Stoke) are a top team and will finish in the top 10."

The former West Ham boss was keeping his feet on the ground despite being third.

"We are coming into a tough run of games but we are in a really good position."

Stoke manager Tony Pulis admitted he was "desperately disappointed" with the result and believed his side's defence was not up to its usual standard.

"The first two goals are poor.

"On the first the lad is offside from the goalkeeper's kick but from that point on the defending was very poor from us.

"We got the goal back and you think we can step on it but the penalty he gives them kills the game.

"I thought we had the ascendancy in lots of respects.

"But fair play to Newcastle."