Ba hat-trick lifts Newcastle to third

Demba Ba scored a hat-trick as
Newcastle United continued their impressive start to the season
with a deserved 3-1 win at Stoke City in the Premier League on
Monday. 

Newcastle, among the pre-season favourites for relegation,
climbed to third place in the table and remain unbeaten after 10
matches. 

French-born Senegalese striker Ba headed home Gabriel
Obertan's teasing cross from close range after 12 minutes and he
doubled the away side's lead with another neat finish five
minutes before halftime. 

Ba gave away a penalty with a clumsy foul on Peter Crouch
and Jon Walters converted the spot-kick to give Stoke hope with
15 minutes remaining. 

Ba, however, quickly made amends when he coolly dispatched a
penalty, his eighth goal of the season, after Robert Huth was
adjudged to have shoved Leon Best in the area. 

Newcastle climbed above Chelsea into third place, one point
behind Manchester United and six adrift of leaders Manchester
City. Stoke remained 11th in the standings.