Pardew: Best's Hatrick Astonishing

Newcastle United striker Leon Best scored a hatrick last night to secure three points from West Ham and the praise of manager Alan Pardew. Best, who made his first start for the club in the Premier League was a last minute replacement for the injured Shola Ameobi, but his partnership with Peter Lovenkrands worked well on the night.

Alan Pardew said after the game;

"Leon has a good record in the Championship, but he is unproven at this level.

Like all strikers and players in the Championship, there is sometimes a snobbish opinion that they are not going to be good enough.

But as Charlie Adam has proved at Blackpool and Leon has tonight, there are players in that division who can play at this level if they have the belief."

He told The Journal;