Notts County 2-5 Sheffield Utd
- Published
Sheffield United moved two points clear of Sheffield Wednesday in second spot in League One with a thumping win over play-off chasing Notts County.
Stephen Quinn netted the opener after a neat turn, Ched Evans scored from a tight angle before Matt Lowton struck.
Neill Collins met Quinn's cross to make it 4-0 by the break but Notts replied through Alan Judge's free-kick.
Lee Williamson made it 5-1 but a Julian Kelly header closed the gap for Notts, who also had Neal Bishop sent off.
Despite their poor first-half display, the Magpies looked lively in the second half and Judge also forced a good save from Steve Simonsen with a long-range shot.
Jonathan Forte went close too but shot wide from inside the six-yard box.
It was a second defeat for the Magpies to Sheffield opposition in four days following their 2-1 home loss to Sheffield Wednesday last weekend.
The Blades remain nine points behind leaders Charlton, , external but move two points clear of the Owls, who drew at home to Walsall.
Notts slip out of the League One play-off places to eighth and are now a point behind sixth-placed Carlisle.
VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM
Notts County manager Keith Curle told BBC Radio Nottingham:
No room for negativity - Curle
"Negativity courts company. Negative people surround themselves with negative people. I'm not like that. I will turn negative people into positive people around me.
"People are making similarities because we were 4-0 up against Charlton. Now there was a massive difference - we earned the right to be 4-0 up against Charlton, who are top of the table.
"Did Sheffield United earn the right to go 4-0 up? No. I think we gifted them goals. It's easy to make apologies for performances, I'm not going to do that. The players know they under-performed."
Sheffield United manager Danny Wilson told BBC Radio Sheffield:
'Performance to be proud of' - Wilson
"That was special - the first 45 minutes were absolutely outstanding.
"We've come here, (with) a bit of pressure from certain quarters, but that's how you answer people.
"You saw everything in our game today that we've been good at all season.
"The passing at times, the clinical finishing, the determination, everything that is involved in winning games was on show today."