Notts County made it three wins from three in their pre-season campaign with a 5-2 victory over Hucknall Town at Watnall Road.

Striker Spencer Weir-Daley netted a hat-trick for the Magpies against the Blue Square North side, while fellow frontmen Jamie Forrester and Ben Fairclough also got on the scoresheet.

After a quiet opening to proceedings, the game sprang to life in the fifteenth minute with two goals in as many minutes by Ian McParland's men.

Forrester used some neat footwork in the box to draw a challenge from his marker, leaving the Referee with no alternative but to point to the penalty spot - and the experienced striker dusted himself down to convert from twelve yards to notch his third goal of the pre-season.

Two minutes later Weir-Daley made it 2-0 as he latched onto a ball in behind the Hucknall defence to coolly slot home past ex-Notts goalkeeper James Lindley in the Hucknall goal, and he made it 3-0 before the interval by turning home Myles Weston's left-wing cross from a few yards out.

Notts' play was calm and collective throughout with plenty of accurate passing along the ground, and on countless occasions in the first period the lively Weston was fed the ball at his feet - and he used his pace to good effect to put the home side on the back foot.

Former Mansfield striker Danny Bacon reduced the deficit from close range ten minutes into the second period from close range, and while the home side briefly threatened a fight-back they were unable to keep Weir-Daley quiet.

After having a shot cleared off the line just after the hour the former Forest striker completed his hat-trick by keeping his cool in the box by nicking the ball past Lindley and slotting the ball into the empty net from Jason Beardsley's excellent cross.

Trialist Ben Fairclough replaced Forrester just after the hour and his pace against the tired legs of the Hucknall defence was used to good effect, and the striker nodded home at the far post from Paul Mayo's knockdown soon afterwards as a rampant Notts continued to push forwards.

Hucknall pulled a goal back late on, but that didn't take the gloss off a professional performance from McParland's men - who on another day could have scored seven or eight.

Naturally pre-season results mean nothing, but performances do and there was plenty on display for the watching public tonight to be pleased with - including five goals from centre forwards.

In fact eight of Notts' eleven goals in pre-season have come from strikers, a problem position all last season - a huge positive to draw from the games so far.

Now comes a huge step up in the preparations, with Premier League outfit Stoke City visiting Meadow Lane next Tuesday and Nottingham Forest a few days later - and the battle for places is sure to hot up ahead of the big kick-off in just over two weeks time.

Notts Team: Pilkington, Beardsley, Tann (Edwards 46), Johnson, Mayo, Hamshaw, Strachan (Nowland 46), Butcher (MacKenzie 46), Weston (Smith 63), Forrester (Fairclough 63), Weir-Daley.

Not Used: Sandercombe.