Ba talk of the Toon as Magpies continue flying form

NEWCASTLE boss Alan Pardew hailed the men asked to plug the gap left by Andy Carroll after seeing Demba Ba plunder a hat-trick against Blackburn on Saturday.

The Senegal international’s claimed his first goals for the club after, in his manager’s opinion, finally shaking off the after-effects of fasting during Ramadan.

With Leon Best having passed up a series of opportunities to add to his three goals for the season, the fury which greeted the Magpies’ failure to sign a replacement for Carroll during the summer transfer window has started to recede.