Two goals from Luke Rodgers helped Notts County on their way to a deserved 3-0 victory against SV Austria Salzburg this evening in the final game of their pre-season tour of Austria.

Last season's Player of the Year Matt Hamshaw was also on the scoresheet as all three goals came in an action-packed second half which saw County cruise to the first victory of their pre-season campaign.

Notts began in confidently and had the majority of the early possession with the first opportunity falling to Austrian trialist Alex Hauser but he blasted over from outside the box after a good run by Craig Westcarr.

The home side, buoyed on by a crowd of 500 spectators, then enjoyed a spell of pressure and Russell Hoult was forced into a good save from long range on twenty minutes.

Craig Westcarr's long-range free-kick was the first effort on target from Notts just after the half-hour but home goalkeeper made a routine save.

A few minutes later the goalkeeper was off his line quickly with Delroy Facey clear on goal to block the striker's shot.

At the start of the second half County rode their luck with a backpass by John Thompson to Kevin Pilkington which almost resulted in an embarrassing own goal but Pilkington slid in to clear the ball off the line.

The home side then missed a glorious chance to take the lead when Mario Schleindl was played clear on goal, but he lobbed the ball over the bar.

Just before the hour Notts took the lead when a neat through-ball picked out Hamshaw's run down the left and he kept his composure the round the goalkeeper and slot the ball into the net from a tight angle. He was withdrawn soon afterwards with a slight groin tweak and was replaced by Alex Hauser.

Notts dominated for long spells and their superiority was rewarded with a second goal eleven minutes from time when Rodgers broke the offside trap and calmly slotted home his third goal in two matches whilst with the Magpies.

His fourth came just a few minutes later when the ball fell kindly to him in the box and he made no mistake by crashing the ball into the net from fourteen yards with his right foot - rounding off a successful 48 hours for the former Shrewsbury Town striker.

Notts saw out the closing stages and - to get good habits going early - kept a very welcome clean sheet.

Notts First Half: Hoult, Moloney, Clapham, Edwards, Lee, Fairclough, Davies, Bishop, Hauser, Westcarr, Facey

Notts Second Half: Pilkington, Moloney, Thompson, Hunt, Clapham, Westcarr, Ravenhill, Bishop, Davies, Hamshaw (Hauser), Rodgers

Sean Canham was the only absentee tonight as a precautionary measure after picking up a slight injury on Monday evening.