Notts County produced an emphatic response to their hammering at Torquay United as they secured a 4-1 win against King's Lynn.
The relegation-threatened visitors took a shock lead in the first half when Gold Omotayo prodded in from close range after they carved open the Magpies' defence. But head coach Ian Burchnall's side were level when Kyle Wootton tapped in after sensational work from Ruben Rodrigues.
The returning Callum Roberts then put Notts ahead before the break with an excellent finish as he blasted the ball past Paul Jones from 12 yards. But the best goal of the game arrived in the second half when Aaron Nemane raced down the left, cut inside onto his right foot and curled a terrific effort into the bottom corner.
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Substitute Eli Sam then wrapped the game up in the final 10 minutes when he lashed in after Roberts had seen a shot blocked inside the area. Here Leigh Curtis analyses all of the big talking points from the Good Friday clash.
Wootton on his way?
The likelihood is that Kyle Wootton will leave Notts County this summer unless he decides to sign a new contract although the possibility of that happening at Meadow Lane looks unlikely at this stage. There have been no further updates on talks over a new deal that expires at the end of the season meaning all signs are pointing towards the exit for a player who has broken the 20-goal barrier for the first time in his career.
Portsmouth, Huddersfield and Blackburn have been among the string of Football League clubs to watch him so you can understand why he will want to assess his options once the campaign is over. While Notts would no doubt love to keep him, the fact remains they would have to make the forward their highest-paid player but even then they would be unlikely to match what some other clubs can offer.
Should Wootton decide to leave after three seasons at the club nobody could begrudge him from wanting to take that opportunity given the way he has served Notts since his arrival from Scunthorpe. He has scored 39 goals in 87 appearances which is an excellent return from a player whose professionalism was recognised by head coach Ian Burchnall who made him vice-captain in the summer.
Ridiculously, there have been a minority of Notts fans who have doubted his ability but the statistics speak for themselves. Wootton has not let speculation about his future affect his performances as he looks to finish the job of trying to take Notts back to the Football League. Should he achieve it then it would be the perfect farewell for a player who has been a joy to watch.
Roberts offers a timely reminder
There has been a lot of noise surrounding Callum Roberts in recent weeks due to his absence from the squad which quickly sparked rumours of a fallout behind the scenes. While the player and Burchnall were quick to quash those claims which emerged on social media, it has been an unhelpful sideshow at a key time of the campaign.
You sensed that Burchnall was growing tired of questions about his omission from the squad in what must have been a tricky situation to manage given he is a fans' favourite. But he finally recalled Roberts for the Good Friday clash against King's Lynn which immediately reminded us of why such a big fuss is made whenever he is not involved in the matchday squad.
The fabulous goal he scored in this 4-1 victory is something we have seen so many times before as his wonderfully quick feet were accompanied by a thumping finish with very little backlift. Like Wootton and Ruben Rodrigues, he is also in double figures this season and there is no dispute that a team that includes Roberts has a better chance of winning promotion than one without it.
But it is now vital the winger keeps his head down in the remaining weeks of the campaign as Notts chase a return to the Football League at the third attempt. The former Newcastle winger is blessed with so much natural ability but he has to let his feet do the talking from here on in.
An excellent response
The 5-1 hammering at Torquay drew plenty of criticism in what was a performance that fell way below the standards we have come to expect from Notts this season. But they were back with a bang here although it must be said it did come against limited opposition whose return to Conference North is just a matter of when not if.
Yet when Gold Omotayo pounced to give the visitors a shock lead early on, you could sense the anxiety in the stands. Fortunately, that did not affect the players who roared back to deliver a thumping victory that could have been much greater given the number of chances they created.
What pleased Burchnall most was the team's response after conceding when it could have so easily led to a jittery afternoon. It was certainly the ideal way to exorcise the demons of the previous week.
Arter's best performance
It is very easy to look at the career that Harry Arter has had and assume that a player who is has played in the Premier League would instantly take this Notts team to another level.
But it doesn't really work like that. He's gone from perfect surfaces to uneven ones and is alongside players that, with no disrespect, won't have matched the technical ability of those he is accustomed to in what has been an excellent career. There has been no Billy Big Time attitude despite the fact he is a Championship player whose move to Nottingham Forest has not yielded the reward everybody at the City Ground hoped it would.
He won't be the first or last player to make a move that has not worked out. But he has shown tremendous professionalism since his switch to Meadow Lane where his influence in the dressing room has been significant. Dion Kelly-Evans and Aaron Nemane have both spoken about how he has helped the younger members of the squad by how he applies himself on a daily basis.
It has taken him a while to get his fitness back in what has been a frustrating campaign, but this performance against King's Lynn was undoubtedly his best yet. It was controlled and his range of passing was excellent. In fact, he made it all look effortless.
A permanent move for Arter, who is on loan until the end of the season, is not going to happen because Notts could get nowhere near his wages. But if he can end this spell by helping them back to the Football League, he will go down as one of Notts' best loan signings of all time.
