Demba Ba netted a hat-trick as Newcastle beat Stoke 3-1 at the Britannia Stadium tonight to further outline their possible top-four credentials.

Ba, who almost joined Tony Pulis's side last year, scored two first-half goals to maintain Newcastle's unbeaten run and send them third in the Premier League.

The striker opened his account for the night on 12 minutes, heading in from close range after being found by Gabriel Obertan's pinpoint cross.

The Senegalese forward then continued to threaten but was thwarted by Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, who twice reacted quickly to rob the ball from Ba's feet as he went through on goal.

However, he did double his tally before the break, prodding home from six yards after Leon Best's misguided shot fell into his strike partner's path.

Stoke struggled to mount any real pressure on Newcastle, who boast the tightest defence in the league this season.

Magpies goalkeeper Tim Krul suffered from a couple of nervy moments, as the Potters inevitably bombarded the Dutch keeper with an aerial assault.

The home side did pull themselves back in the game from the penalty spot after Ba clumsily bundled down Stoke striker Peter Crouch in the 73rd minute.

Jonathan Walters emphatically converted the resulting spot-kick but Stoke's hopes of claiming a point were short lived as Ba completed his hat-trick with a penalty of his own.

Substitute Robert Huth was adjudged to have pushed Best in the area and Mike Dean wasted little time in pointing to the spot for the second time in the night.

Ba sent Begovic the wrong way to secure the match ball and the points as Newcastle leapfrogged Chelsea into third in the table.