The pessimist in me didn't expect to get much from this game. We haven't travelled well to Stoke for a while now, and the 4-0 thumping last season is still fairly fresh in the memory. I think most teams have nightmares about the missiles flying in from Rory Delap onto the top of some 18 stone monsters. Every time I watch Stoke play, I can't help but think of Space Jam where the aliens turn into 20 foot tall monsters making Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny look like midgets.

Aside from the win and going into third place, (yes I said third place), I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Tony Pulis going apoplectic at our boys using the towels that Rory Delap utilises for readying his cruise missile. He's got a nerve given that every single throw they had took about 30 seconds to take. They really are an awful football team. It is absolutely dreadful. Every third pass was a hoof in the air in the hope that it would land on the useless Crouch or Jon Walters. By the way I still don't know who Walters is. I'm pretty sure he isn't a footballer, and quite how his assault on Krul went unpunished is beyond me. It's the Pulis way though, and the locals love it. I'm pretty sure I saw one of their fans kick off at Pennant for daring to pass the ball along the floor. "That's not the Stoke way!" he cried. "Hoof it Jermaine, hoof it!" I might have embellished that a wee bit.

It's difficult to pick out any faults in that performance. You have to remember that the likes of Man Utd and Chelsea have left this place with nothing more than a point. Neither could handle the aerial bombardment. The back four were superb, with the centre backs not giving an inch and Simpson and Ryan Taylor having the game of their lives. Given that Taylor was battered on more than one occasion - one which saw him sprawled out on the turf for a good five minutes and I'm pretty sure he mouthed "Where am I?" to the physio as he walked off the pitch - he was excellent. The Dreamboat didn't have his best game for us, but then he was never going to shine against Stoke really. It wasn't a game for flair players, hence why we never saw the likes of Hatem or Marveux. Guthrie was superb I felt, he was spraying balls left, right and centre and really helped control the middle of the park. Given that one of his last appearances for us was when we were beaten 3-1 by WBA where he was abysmal, this answered his critics, with me being one of them. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike the lad - I just think he has his limitations. On Monday night though, he was brilliant and gives Pardew another selection headache for Everton's visit on Saturday. If it was me, I would pick Tiote - but it does seem harsh dropping a player who has given his all and contributed to a massive win. Gutierrez once again showed why he is one of the hardest working players in the league. I've said on more than one occasion that Jonas made Enrique a better player with his support at left back; he has done the same with Ryan Taylor Over the Wall this season. Outsiders claim that he is rubbish, has no end product and even that he didn't mean to score that goal against Wolves! That said they are the same people that claim that Rooney's overhead shin last season against Man City was the best goal since the dawn of time. Jonas is a workhorse, and contributes as much to the defence as he does to the attack. This is a lot before any of you smart Alec's claim otherwise.

Onto Demba - wow. A perfect hat trick and his second treble of the season. I believe that is 15 goals in 22 starts in the Premier League including his spell at West Ham. Whichever way you look at it, it is prolific. He is proof that you don't need to come with an eight figure purchase rate to be a good striker in this league. I'm absolutely delighted with him, not just for his attacking ability but also for his work at the back when we are up against it. He is another who appears to be giving his all.

Once again, we are third and I don't tire of saying that. I'm not going to get carried away though. I'm just really enjoying football at the moment, which is great after the few years that we've had. However, I'm sick of hearing that we haven't played anybody decent yet or that we haven't played anyone in the top ten yet. You know why? It's because we keep beating everyone, thus preventing them from picking up points. So chew on that. Let us keep riding the crest of this wave. I'd happily stay up there for a little while longer!