Ba treble steers third-placed Newcastle past Stoke
Monday, October 31, 2011
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Unbeaten Newcastle United FC are up to third place in the Premier League after overcoming Stoke City FC 3-1 with the help of a Demba Ba hat-trick.
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Newcastle United FC are up to third place in the Premier League after completing a comfortable 3-1 victory at Stoke City FC.
Alan Pardew's side – who remain unbeaten in the English top flight this term – completed their sixth Premier League victory of the campaign thanks to three strikes by Demba Ba.
The visitors took the lead when Ba connected with Gabriel Obertan's 12th-minute cross, and the former TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and West Ham United FC striker then pounced on Leon Best's mishot shot to double his side's advantage five minutes before the interval.
Though Jonathan Walters scored a penalty with 15 minutes to go – after Ba had fouled Peter Crouch – the in-form striker converted a penalty of his own (81) to complete his second hat-trick of the season. Newcastle's triumph lifts them to within a point of second-placed Manchester United FC and six shy of leaders Manchester City FC.
UEFA Europa League contenders Stoke, who travel to Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC on Thursday, remain 11th following their second successive league defeat.
