Ian Burchnall hailed Harry Arter's best performance for Notts County since his switch from Nottingham Forest and says his experience has been priceless.
Arter was handed the man of the match award for his performance in the Good Friday victory over King's Lynn as the Magpies came from behind to register a 4-1 win. The midfielder ensured there was no panic after Gold Omotayo scored a shock opener for the visitors as goals from Kyle Wootton, Callum Roberts, Aaron Nemane and Eli Sam secured a convincing win.
It was Arter's best display in a Notts shirt since his loan switch from Forest and both defender Dion Kelly-Evans and Nemane have said his arrival has had an excellent impact on the dressing room. And head coach Burchnall was quick to shower the 32-year-old with praise having stressed that his calmness in possession was pivotal in ensuring Notts produced the ideal response to their 5-1 defeat to Torquay the previous week.
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"He played really well and it was a controlled performance from him," he said. He picked the right passes, he dictated the tempo and he was part of the reason why we didn't panic when we went 1-0 down. His experience just says settle the team down and play our football and he did that really well."
Arter is only on loan until the end of the season after the Reds agreed to allow him to cross the Trent, although there is no chance of Notts making his move a permanent one with the former Bournemouth man on huge wages at the City Ground.
But he could leave Meadow Lane with a promotion on his CV with the Magpies looking strong favourites to seal a play-off spot for the third consecutive season. He has helped add steel to a midfield at a key time of the season with Notts having lost just once in their last six games ahead of what looks like a favourable run-in as they look to seal promotion back to the Football League.
And Burchnall says that Arter's influence and attitude have been exemplary since his arrival from across the Trent in what was a major coup for Notts.
"He's very good with the boys in the dressing room," he said. He lifts the group up and certainly in and around on matchdays when he comes in from the warm-up, the switch is there and he is ready to go. It's good to have those players there. In terms of his organisation, it's very good.
"His experience really tells. Going 1-0 down, you could feel that it might be a situation where the crowd could turn. But he and Matt Palmer stayed very calm, they helped us tick away and that was very important."
