Golden boy Forte makes his name for Notts

THERE was some confusion when Jonathan Forte arrived at Meadow Lane at the end of last week over how to pronounce his surname.

Some were convinced it was plain Forte, as in fort; a stronghold or fortress. Others thought it was pronounced with a flourishing end-note, as in forte; a speciality or strong point.

But there was no confusion when it came to pronouncing his debut performance for Notts County, only different superlatives used.

The 22-year-old striker has a track record of making an instantly impressive impact on loan during his career.

During a two-month spell at Doncaster in 2005 he scored four goals in six league starts and in three months at Rotherham at the start of 2006, he netted four in eight league starts.

It is that ability that led to Magpies' boss Ian McParland bringing him to Meadow Lane on a one-month loan deal from League One leaders Scunthorpe United.

But nobody could have predicted Forte would write his name into the club's history books with an unforgettable first-half hat-trick at Barnet. Nobody.

He was, quite simply, a different class. The Bees' defenders could not live with his prodigious pace and intelligent runs. And then there was his unbelievable finishing too.

He showed incredible predatory instinct to pounce on the loose ball and drill it past keeper Lee Harrison from close-range to double Notts' lead and he reacted brilliantly to volley into the net from just inside the penalty area to make it 3-0.

He then used his pace to chase onto a through ball in injury time at the end of first half and chipped it cleverly over Harrison, who had rushed off his goal-line, before side-footing into the empty net to become the first player since Brett Angell nearly nine years ago to score a debut hat-trick.

It was fairytale stuff and the Magpies' fans were almost as stunned as the home supporters. For all of Forte's history-making feats, however, Richard Butcher scored the outstanding goal of the game and that should not be overshadowed.

The way he picked the ball out of the air with a left-footed volley that swerved past Harrison and just inside the keeper's left-hand upright bore all of the hallmarks of a player full of confidence.

He had space to control Delroy Facey's flicked header before striking the ball. But he attempted the audacious and pulled it off, spectacularly for his seventh goal of the campaign.

The part Paul Mayo played in the build-up to the early opener too, was impressive. The defender has received unfair criticism from some of the Magpies' fans this season but he lifted a pinpoint diagonal pass into Facey who won his aerial challenge and headed it into Butcher's path to delightful effect.

And Mayo helped the Magpies keep their second successive clean-sheet, following the shut-out against Sutton United in the first round of the FA Cup.

It was Russell Hoult's first clean-sheet in League Two and while he was never severely tested, he did make some good saves.

Adam Birchall threatened to reduce the home side's arrears on 38 minutes when Neal Bishop's free-kick fell to him inside the box but Hoult reacted well to hold his instinctive close-range effort.

The experienced keeper also did well to hold a powerful shot from Kenny Gillet at his near post in the second half.

In front of Hoult, John Thompson was once again uncompromising, which leaves McParland with a big decision to make when Michael Johnson returns from a toe injury that has kept him out of the last few games.

The scoreline was emphatic but the Magpies have certainly played better this season without the same reward. The obvious difference was this time they took their chances.

Butcher is always likely to get a goal. but Forte gave Notts a cutting-edge they have been lacking so far this season.

He is, however, only at Meadow Lane for one month and Scunthorpe seem intent on having him back firing on all cylinders – which is a big shame for Notts.

Still, he produced a performance and inspired a memorable victory that will live in the memories of the Magpies supporters long after he has gone.

And it could be just the spark the club needed. After three defeats to Chesterfield, Rochdale and Bury, it was so important for them to win at Underhill.

They might not have moved up the League Two table, but confidence and belief will certainly have been boosted.

james.pallatt@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk