NOTTS V YEOVIL

NOTTS 4 YEOVIL 0

REPORT

NOTTS County marked 100 years at Meadow Lane with a victory against Yeovil Town in League One today.

The Magpies led 3-0 at half-time. After Craig Westcarr put the League Two champions ahead with his third goal of the season, Ben Davies netted twice to put them firmly in command against the Glovers.

Lee Hughes, on his return from a groin injury, scored his first goal of the season in the second half to complete the rout.

Hughes' return was one of six changes made by Notts from their midweek defeat at Sheffield Wednesday in the first round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. He was partnered in attack by Kevin Smith, who was handed his first League start for the club.

Graeme Lee and Krystian Pearce replaced Liam Chilvers and Mike Edwards in central defence, and Westcarr and Neal Bishop were both restored to the Magpies' midfield, in place of on-loan Luke Hubbins and John Spicer.

Stuart Nelson was also reinstated in goal, at Rob Burch's expense.

As part of the centenary celebrations over 50 former players, including luminaries like Jackie Sewell, Les Bradd, the club's all-time leading scorer, and Don Masson did a lap of honour before kick-off.

The Magpies were playing in a special all-white centenary kit and threatened for the first time on 13 minutes when Ben Davies swung a free-kick into the penalty area from the left wing. Hughes met it with a glancing header and directed it against the post, before being flagged offside.

Hughes was later booked for almost pulling the shirt off Glovers' defender Stefan Stam as the pair tussled for possession of the ball near the halfway line.

Notts deservedly took the lead on 24 minutes when Jon Harley played a long ball into the visitors' penalty area and Westcarr seized onto it, and prodded the ball past Yeovil keeper John Sullivan from close-range.

The Magpies doubled their lead only five minutes later. Westcarr was again involved, and when he was tackled on the edge of the box Davies pounced on the loose ball and fired a powerful shot at goal. Sullivan got a hand to it, but could only parry the ball against his left-hand post and it rebounded into the net.

Yeovil threatened in the closing minutes of the first half when Adam Virgo passed to his strike partner Luke Freeman inside the penalty area, but Pearce was alert to the danger and cleared.

Owain Tudor Jones then shot narrowly wide for the visitors, before Smith directed an effort wide of Sullivan's left-hand post from inside the penalty area.

Davies scored his second goal of the game in the third minute of injury time at the end of the first half. After a neat interchange of passes with Smith on the edge of the box, he confidently drove a right-footed shot past Sullivan.

With the game won, Notts were playing with greater confidence, and threatened to add to their commanding lead in the opening stages of the second half when Harley crossed dangerously into the penalty area, but Westcarr volleyed over the crossbar.

They were claiming for a penalty just before the hour mark when Hughes was pulled back in the box by Paul Huntington, but referee David Webb waved away their protests.

Still, the Magpies were dominant, and Westcarr went close to scoring minutes later. His low shot from 20 yards went just wide of Sullivan's right-hand post.

Lee too, almost scored on 70 minutes. The central defender rose to meet Davies' corner and directed a powerful header at goal that Sullivan acrobatically tipped over his bar. It proved Lee's final act before he was forced off with a facial injury, and was replaced by Chilvers.

Hughes did make it 4-0 on 73 minutes. Davies measured a magnificent ball into the path of the striker and he made no mistake, unleashing an unstoppable left-footed shot that flew past Sullivan and inside his right-hand post.

Davies was in outstanding form, and almost completed his hat-trick two minutes later, curling a free-kick narrowly over the crossbar.

It was a comfortable victory for Notts. On a significant occasion in the club's history, they produced a fittingly impressive performance.

NOTTS: Nelson, Thompson, Lee (Chilvers, 80), Pearce, Harley, Westcarr (Spicer, 72), Ravenhill, Bishop, Davies, Hughes, Smith (Jervis, 61). Subs: Burch, Edwards, Burgess, Hawley.

YEOVIL: Sullivan, Alcock, Stam, Huntington, Smith, Ayling (Stewart, 62), Jones, Kalala, Welsh, Freeman (Calver, 78), Virgo. Subs: Roberts, Upson, Gibson, Baggridge.

ATTENDANCE: 6,288 (316 away).