ALAN PARDEW last night piled further praise on his Newcastle United players on a night when they showed their mental toughness to stay unbeaten with a spirited victory at Stoke City - courtesy of hat-trick hero Demba Ba's goals.

After scoring twice in the first half, Ba added an 81st minute penalty to seal the three points just six minutes after Jon Walters had pulled Stoke back in to it.

It was a victory which lifted Newcastle up to third in the Premier League after staying unbeaten in the opening ten matches ahead of Saturday's visit of Everton. It also took their unbeaten run in the league to 13 games, their longest for 61 years.

Ba's goals provided a reminder to Stoke of his quality, just ten months after he was on the verge of a move to the Britannia Stadium from Hoffenheim before he failed a medical because of a problematic knee.

"I don't think there is any animosity between Demba and this club (Stoke)," said Pardew. "He did great at West Ham and has done terrific for me at Newcastle.

"His link up and all round ability, finishing and movement in the box, is excellent. We just want him to keep it up."

Ba's goals took his tally to eight in his last five league games for Newcastle since moving on a free from West Ham in the summer.

When he celebrated his first, he infuriated the Stoke fans by cupping his ear and his every touch, until he added his second, was booed.

"If they want to boo they should boo their board," said Ba. "I am very happy to score a hat-trick here because it is a place you come and struggle.

"It's very important when you have strikers who can run and defend.

"Today we did our best but the team at the back were very strong. We are just in the first ten games so it's a long way to go."

Stoke boss Tony Pulis revealed afterwards that he had been hoping to push through a deal for Ba, but the finances made it difficult.

Pulis said: "We really fancied Demba. What people must remember is that we were paying £9m for him then. It was a massive package.

"They didn't think it was a risk we could take. I would have taken him on a free transfer."

But while Ba's three goals stole the show, Newcastle's all-round performance was exceptional. From front to back they defended strongly and prevented Stoke from successfully using their trademark long balls in to the box.

"This is a really good Stoke side, a strong squad," said Pardew. "The way they play makes it difficult and we had to show great character. We showed another side to ourselves. Great resilience.

"We set ourselves to attack the game and we threatened on the break. We got goals at good times. The penalties were soft."

But with Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea on the horizon in November, Pardew believes that Newcastle must quickly focus on Saturday's visit of Everton to St James' Park.

"We have an immediate goal. Everton on Saturday," he said. "If we can get through that game and go to Man City unbeaten that would be fantastic.

"That is my immediate goal, I hope we can fill the stadium. I think the players deserve that. They have been magnificent. We are not really looking at the bigger picture. We just focus on the next one."