Ba says Newcastle spirits intact despite poor run

Newcastle striker Demba Ba insists spirits are not sagging on Tyneside despite a desperate run of two points from six matches. After a bright start the Magpies have slid down into midtable after losing to Manchester City, Chelsea and Norwich, as well as at the renamed St James' Park in midweek to West Brom. But the 26-year-old Senegal international, with 13 goals already to his credit, insists that even with injuries and suspensions piling up spirits are intact ahead of the visit to Bolton on Monday. "I don't think it has affected anybody in the team and personally, it hasn't affected me. "We just missed some of the little things that could have made a victory or something else. But it hasn't affected me and it hasn't affected the team, and we are just going to try to get back to winning." Even so, his absence from next month on African Cup of Nations duty with Senegal will leave under pressure manager Alan Pardew with yet another gap to fill.