Notts County stretched their unbeaten run to nine games with a 5-3 win over Crawley in an astonishing afternoon at Meadow Lane.
The Magpies could have been ahead within two minutes when Haydn Hollis saw a clever flick tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Brian Jensen.
Garry Thompson did find the breakthrough in the ninth minute when he produced a wonderful finish after latching onto a pass by Stephen McLaughlin.
McLaughlin then created Notts' second in the 18th minute when he crossed for the unmarked Zeli Ismail to head into the bottom corner.
Crawley's erratic defending was punished again in the 37th minute when a long ball from Jordan Cranston was headed down into the area by Shaun Harrad.
The visitors dallied in deciding who should deal with it and Thompson took full advantage by stealing in at the near post to grab his second of the game.
Crawley did show promise on occasion and when they did find a way through, Izale McLeod's finishing prowess had deserted him.
The visitors came out firing after the break and reduced the deficit through a lovely strike from Gwion Edwards who found the top corner from 25 yards.
And as Notts went looking for more goals, they were picked off on the counter with Matt Harrold making it 3-2 in the 55th minute.
But Thompson completed his hat-trick in the 63rd minute with a header from McLaughlin's corner before Gary Jones' deflected effort made it 5-2.
There was still time for Marvin Elliott to make it 5-3 with six minutes remaining, but despite having five minutes of added time, the visitors couldn't summon the unlikeliest of comebacks.
Notts County: (4-4-2): Carroll, Dumbuya (C Thompson 70), Laing, Hollis, Cranston, Ismail (Petrasso 74), Jones, Noble, McLaughlin, Harrad (Murray 81), Thompson. Subs: Spiess, Wroe, McKenzie, Traore,
Crawley (4-5-1): Jensen, Oyebanjo, Leacock , Walsh , Sadler, Smith, Young, Keane (Banya 81), Smith, Elliott, Edwards, McLeod (Harrold 45). Subs: Ashdown, Henderson, Simpson, Bawling, Tomlin
