Hammers nailed by simply the Best as Newcastle run riot

LEON BEST reminded Alan Pardew there is more than one striker on Tyneside as Newcastle dumped woeful West Ham deep into relegation mire.

Irish international Best, making his first Premier League start for the club in the absence of the injured Carroll and Shola Ameobi, finally opened his account on his 15th appearance with a fine hat-trick to repay a large slice of his £1.2million transfer fee.

They were the 24-year-old’s first goals in a week short of a year and came on the day it was revealed Newcastle had rejected an approach from Tottenham for Carroll.