Jamie Forrester was a hat-trick hero for Notts County as they recorded a 4-2 win over Port Vale.

Magpies prevail in six-goal thriller

Jamie Forrester was a hat-trick hero for County as they retained their unbeaten record in 2009 with a 4-2 win over Port Vale. Myles Weston jinked past two defenders to put County ahead after 32 minutes but it was a goal against the run of play. The impressive County goalkeeper Josh Lillis was finally beaten after 51 minutes by Simon Richman but that was the signal for Forrester, who had earlier stuck the bar, to take the game by the scruff of the neck. He restored the lead after 55 minutes with a curling shot from the edge of the area and good work by Jamie Clapham and Delroy Facey set up his second. Vale refused to lie down and gave themselves some hope after 74 minutes when Louis Dodds scored with a glancing header from Scott Brown's cross. But the game was eventually lifted from their grasp with eight minutes left when Gareth Owen fouled Facey in the area and Forrester sent Joe Anyon the wrong way from the spot.