Lee Hughes hit his second hat-trick of the season as Notts County hammered 10-man Northampton at Meadow Lane.
Alex Dyer put the Cobblers in front from close range before a header from debutant Matt Ritchie and a smart strike from Hughes turned things round.
Hughes added another header and Ritchie hit his second before Chris McCready saw red for a foul on Karl Hawley, with Hughes scoring the resulting penalty.
Andrew Holt hit a late consolation for the managerless Cobblers.
Notts County manager Ian McParland told BBC Radio Nottingham:
"We cut them open and we made our set-plays tell, I thought the boys were fantastic.
"When we get passing the ball around and the fans get behind us, we can do it."
Northampton Town caretaker manager Ian Sampson told BBC Radio Northampton:
"I thought we started okay - the plan was working fantastically. We nicked a goal, but then we just dropped too deep. I'm gutted.
"Once County equalised or went ahead, all I saw was heads dropping.
"I was let down in the second half by my two centre backs. It was the poorest display I've seen from centre backs for a while. Every ball that went in didn't get cleared."
90:00+3:07 The referee blows for the end of the match.
90:00+1:29 A cross is delivered by Luke Rodgers.
90:00+1:10 Short corner worked by Ben Davies.
90:00+0:55 Ben Davies takes a shot. Save by Simon Brown.
90:00+0:17 Shot from just outside the penalty box by Ryan Gilligan misses to the left of the target.
89:20 Neal Bishop challenges Ryan Gilligan unfairly and gives away a free kick. Craig Hinton takes the free kick.
88:22 Assist on the goal came from Craig Hinton.
88:22 GOAL - Andrew Holt:Notts County 5 - 2 Northampton Andrew Holt scores a goal from close in to the bottom left corner of the goal. Notts County 5-2 Northampton.
87:30 Luke Rodgers fouled by Dean Beckwith, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Ben Davies.
85:39 Centre by Craig Westcarr, clearance made by John Curtis.
84:34 The ball is crossed by Ben Davies, clearance by Robbie Threlfall.
Correction - 83:53 Delroy Facey takes a shot. Simon Brown makes a save.
83:53 Delroy Facey takes a shot. Save made by Simon Brown.
82:57 Ryan Gilligan concedes a free kick for a foul on Ben Davies. Johnnie Jackson takes the direct free kick.
80:58 Substitution Craig Westcarr is brought on as a substitute for Matt Ritchie.
80:26 Kasper Schmeichel takes the free kick.
80:26 Booking Delroy Facey receives a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
80:09 The referee gives a free kick against Delroy Facey for handball.
78:27 Neal Bishop has an effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the left of the target.
76:48 Substitution Delroy Facey joins the action as a substitute, replacing Karl Hawley.
76:48 Substitution Luke Rodgers comes on in place of Lee Hughes.
75:39 Substitution Craig Hinton joins the action as a substitute, replacing Steve Guinan.
75:15 GOAL - Lee Hughes:Notts County 5 - 1 Northampton Lee Hughes scores a placed penalty. Notts County 5-1 Northampton.
74:32 Sent off The referee shows Chris McCready a red card.
73:57 Chris McCready gives away a Penalty for an unfair challenge on Karl Hawley.
73:15 A cross is delivered by Steve Guinan, Kasper Schmeichel makes a save.
72:47 Karl Hawley handles the ball and concedes a free kick. Alex Dyer takes the indirect free kick.
71:48 Luke Boden has an effort at goal from just outside the area which goes wide of the left-hand post.
71:10 Neal Bishop gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Adebayo Akinfenwa. Ryan Gilligan restarts play with the free kick.
68:54 Mike Edwards fouled by Adebayo Akinfenwa, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Kasper Schmeichel.
67:23 Lee Hughes takes a shot. Chris McCready gets a block in. Short corner worked by Ben Davies. Ben Davies produces a cross, free kick awarded for a foul by Karl Hawley on Simon Brown. Simon Brown restarts play with the free kick.
66:06 Substitution (Northampton) makes a substitution, with Robbie Threlfall coming on for Ben Marshall.
66:06 Adebayo Akinfenwa gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on John Thompson.
65:49 The referee gives a free kick against Lee Hughes for handball. Indirect free kick taken by Luke Boden.
64:21 Karl Hawley provided the assist for the goal.
64:21 GOAL - Matt Ritchie:Notts County 4 - 1 Northampton Matt Ritchie finds the net with a goal from just outside the area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Notts County 4-1 Northampton.
64:08 Ryan Gilligan gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jamie Clapham. Johnnie Jackson takes the free kick.
63:51 Centre by Ben Davies, save by Simon Brown.
62:55 Corner taken by Ben Davies, clearance by Chris McCready.
62:22 Steve Guinan takes a shot. Mike Edwards gets a block in.
60:57 The assist for the goal came from Karl Hawley.
60:57 GOAL - Lee Hughes:Notts County 3 - 1 Northampton Lee Hughes finds the net with a headed goal from close in. Notts County 3-1 Northampton.
60:24 The referee blows for offside. Indirect free kick taken by Kasper Schmeichel.
56:42 Adebayo Akinfenwa concedes a free kick for a foul on Mike Edwards. Jamie Clapham restarts play with the free kick.
55:50 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Mike Edwards by Adebayo Akinfenwa. Kasper Schmeichel takes the indirect free kick.
54:37 Lee Hughes challenges Chris McCready unfairly and gives away a free kick. Simon Brown restarts play with the free kick.
53:26 Substitution Billy Mckay goes off and Adebayo Akinfenwa comes on.
53:03 Ben Davies sends in a cross, Karl Hawley takes a shot. Simon Brown makes a save.
52:26 Ben Davies takes a inswinging corner from the left by-line played to the near post, clearance made by Andrew Holt.
52:19 Matt Ritchie delivers the ball, clearance by Luke Boden.
51:41 A cross is delivered by Matt Ritchie, clearance by Ben Marshall.
50:43 Centre by Brendan Moloney, Chris McCready makes a clearance.
49:32 Shot by Karl Hawley from outside the box goes over the net.
45:01 The second half begins.
Half Time
45:00+2:42 The referee blows for half time.
45:00+1:53 Steve Guinan concedes a free kick for a foul on Neal Bishop. Free kick crossed by Ben Davies, clearance by John Curtis.
45:00+0:45 Luke Boden takes a shot from 35 yards and missed to the left of the goal.
45:00+0:09 Shot on goal by Matt Ritchie from just inside the area clears the crossbar.
43:53 Ben Davies provided the assist for the goal.
43:53 GOAL - Lee Hughes:Notts County 2 - 1 Northampton Lee Hughes gets on the score sheet with a goal from inside the six-yard box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Notts County 2-1 Northampton.
42:52 A cross is delivered by Ben Davies,
42:52 Booking The referee shows John Curtis a yellow card.
42:44 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Matt Ritchie by John Curtis.
40:45 Andrew Holt is penalised for handball and concedes a free kick. Kasper Schmeichel takes the indirect free kick.
40:30 Luke Boden fouled by Neal Bishop, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Andrew Holt.
39:20 Johnnie Jackson takes a shot. Save by Simon Brown.
38:50 Luke Boden challenges Ben Davies unfairly and gives away a free kick. Ben Davies takes the free kick.
38:18 Lee Hughes crosses the ball, save made by Simon Brown.
38:04 Ben Davies delivers the ball, Chris McCready manages to make a clearance.
37:05 Karl Hawley takes a shot. Blocked by Ryan Gilligan.
36:40 A cross is delivered by Brendan Moloney, Header from close range by Ben Davies clears the bar.
36:25 The ball is crossed by Ben Davies, Andrew Holt manages to make a clearance.
35:36 Matt Ritchie takes a shot from just outside the penalty area clears the crossbar.
Correction - 34:30 Johnnie Jackson takes a shot. Chris McCready gets a block in. Lee Hughes has a header from close range and clears the crossbar.
34:30 Johnnie Jackson takes a shot. Chris McCready gets a block in. Header from close range by Lee Hughes clears the bar.
33:41 Steve Guinan concedes a free kick for a foul on John Thompson. Jamie Clapham restarts play with the free kick.
32:42 Ben Davies crosses the ball, Effort from close range by Neal Bishop goes wide left of the target.
32:07 Centre by Ben Davies, clearance made by Andrew Holt.
30:51 Foul by Lee Hughes on Andrew Holt, free kick awarded. Indirect free kick taken by Ryan Gilligan.
30:10 A cross is delivered by Ben Davies, clearance by Alex Dyer.
29:37 Johnnie Jackson takes a short corner.
29:14 Matt Ritchie takes a shot. John Curtis makes a clearance.
28:59 Matt Ritchie takes a shot. Blocked by Andrew Holt.
26:43 Corner taken right-footed by Ben Davies from the left by-line to the near post, Matt Ritchie produces a header from deep inside the six-yard box that clears the bar.
25:58 Foul by Ben Marshall on Neal Bishop, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed right-footed by Ben Davies from right channel, Billy Mckay makes a clearance.
24:41 Shot by Ben Marshall from outside the box goes over the net.
22:26 Assist on the goal came from Brendan Moloney.
22:26 GOAL - Matt Ritchie:Notts County 1 - 1 Northampton Matt Ritchie fires in a goal from close in to the bottom left corner of the goal. Notts County 1-1 Northampton.
19:01 The ball is crossed by Ben Davies, clearance by Dean Beckwith.
17:29 Matt Ritchie takes a shot from a long way out which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
16:53 Foul by Alex Dyer on Matt Ritchie, free kick awarded. Kasper Schmeichel takes the indirect free kick.
16:07 Simon Brown restarts play with the free kick.
16:07 Booking Karl Hawley shown a yellow card.
15:57 Foul by Karl Hawley on John Curtis, free kick awarded.
14:59 Mike Edwards fouled by Steve Guinan, the ref awards a free kick. Jamie Clapham takes the indirect free kick.
14:38 Mike Edwards challenges Billy Mckay unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Simon Brown.
14:10 John Curtis gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Lee Hughes. Indirect free kick taken by Johnnie Jackson.
13:37 Lee Hughes concedes a free kick for a foul on John Curtis. Indirect free kick taken by Simon Brown.
12:16 Simon Brown takes the free kick.
12:16 Booking John Thompson receives a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
12:09 Luke Boden fouled by John Thompson, the ref awards a free kick.
11:32 Matt Ritchie takes a shot. Blocked by John Curtis.
11:20 Steve Guinan gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on John Thompson. Kasper Schmeichel takes the free kick.
9:53 Assist on the goal came from Ryan Gilligan.
9:53 GOAL - Alex Dyer:Notts County 0 - 1 Northampton Alex Dyer finds the net with a goal from close in to the top left corner of the goal. Notts County 0-1 Northampton.
3:10 Free kick awarded for a foul by Billy Mckay on Neal Bishop. Indirect free kick taken by Jamie Clapham.
2:35 The offside flag is raised against Steve Guinan. Free kick taken by Kasper Schmeichel.
2:11 Matt Ritchie delivers the ball, save made by Simon Brown.
1:50 Centre by Luke Boden, Kasper Schmeichel makes a save.
0:00 The referee starts the match.
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