Notts County dealt promotion blow as they are thrashed at Torquay United

Notts County’s four-match unbeaten run came to a shuddering halt as they suffered a crushing 5-1 defeat at Torquay United.

Plainmoor was the scene of last season’s agonising National League play-off semi-final defeat and there was to be no revenge for the Magpies as Connor Lemonheigh-Evans scored a hat-trick to add to Armani Little’s double to consign Notts to a defeat which sees them remain sixth in the table.

While defeat is a blow to their hopes of securing a top-three place - and a home pay-off semi-final - at the end of the season, it is by no means a fatal one, with Ian Burchnall sure to rally his troops for what looks like a favourable run-in against several teams struggling at the wrong end of the table.

But they will have to show considerably more grit and determination then they did here if they are to achieve their dream of promotion.

Head coach Burchnall named the same side which triumphed 3-0 at Southend last weekend, and there were also no changes on the bench, with no place in the match-day squad for Cal Roberts, who didn’t travel to the south-west.

Notts started on the front foot and the first chance fell to Frank Vincent in the fourth minute when Ruben Rodrigues fed Jayden Richardon on the right and he set up the midfielder, whose shot was blocked out for a corner, which was cleared.

Vitezslav Jaros was called into action when Richardson gave the ball away but Stephen Duke-McKenna’s shot was straight at the Notts keeper.

But he could do little to stop Little’s curling effort in the 11th minute after Notts failed to hold on the ball up front and Torquay worked the ball to their skipper on the left of the box and he found a fine finish.

Danny Wright had a great chance to make it two a minute later when he