Despite coming from behind to take the lead in the first half, Torquay United were condemned to a 5-2 defeat at the hands of Notts County at Meadow Lane.
The Magpies took the lead after 18 minutes when Junior Mendes but the Gulls pegged them back immediately when new loan signing Stephen Cooke marked his debut for Torquay with a goal. Ten minutes later Ryan Dickson drilled home a cross from Jamal Easter to give the Gulls a deserved lead but Notts County drew level with an effort from Jay Smith in the 38th minute whilst two minutes later Andy Parkinson fired an 18 yard effort past Martin Horsell to put the Magpies back in front. Lee struck twice for Notts County in the final 10 minutes which effectively ended the game as a contest.
New loan signing Stephen Cooke was handed his debut following his arrival from AFC Bournemouth and Craig Taylor returned to partner Steve Woods in the centre of the Torquay defence.
The Gulls made a solid start to the match as Woods and Taylor stood firm in the face of early pressure from the Notts County forward line which consisted of Lawrie Dudfield, Junior Mendes and Jason Lee.
Torquay's first real threat on goal came in the sixth minute when Ryan Dickson was denied by Magpies midfielder Matt Somner after he latched on to a cross from Jamal Easter.
Notts County put the Gulls defence under pressure and forced a number of corners. Craig Taylor and Steve Woods were able to deal with the threat that the Magpies attack posed and Torquay broke away with a good counter attacking move after Taylor headed a corner away and Lee Thorpe shot narrowly wide.
In the 23rd minute, the deadlock was broken when Junior Mendes latched on to a pass from Lawrie Dudfield and poked the ball past Martin Horsell to give the Magpies the lead.
Two minutes later Jamal Easter fired a shot at goal which was turned behind for a corner by Magpies keeper Kevin Pilkington. Ryan Dickson took the corner which was headed towards goal by Steve Woods and was parried away by Pilkington. Stephen Cooke pounced on the rebound and fired home to mark his Gulls debut with a goal.
It had looked as though the ball had been cleared off the line by County skipper Alan White, but assistant referee John Radford ruled that it had crossed the line and the goal stood.
Jamal Easter came close putting Torquay ahead a few minutes later. Although his shot looked to have to have beaten Pilkington, unfortunately it did not beat the post.
The Gulls took the lead in the 35th minute through Ryan Dickson after he latched on to a cross from Jamal Easter and drilled the ball past Kevin Pilkington.
Sadly Torquay's advantage would only last for four minutes as Jay Smith fired home from 25 yards, after Martin Horsell had saved an initial effort from Lawrie Dudfield, to bring the Magpies back on level terms just as it seemed Torquay were gaining the upper hand.
County scored a third goal shortly before half-time when first half substitute Andy Parkinson, whose speedposed all sorts of difficulties for United, converted from 18 yards to give the Magpies 3-2 lead going into the interval.
After the break, the Gulls pressed forward in search of an equaliser. In the 56th minute, Kevin Hill headed the ball at goal and forced a save from Pilkington. A minute later, the former Manchester United keeper had to be at his best to deny a shot from Jamal Easter.
Ryan Dickson then came agonisingly close to bagging a brace as he fired a shot across the face of the Notts County goal.
Lubos Kubik made his first substitution of the game in the 70th minute as striker Chris McPhee came on to replace Kevin Hill in a bid to aid the Gulls' search for an equaliser.
Lee Mansell then burst through from midfield and picked out Ryan Dickson and the on loan winger headed the ball towards goal but he was unable to connect with the pass from Mansell and his header was comfortably collected by Pilkington. Stephen Cooke also went close for the Gulls as his shot went narrowly wide.
On 78 minutes, Leon Hapgood came on to replace Lee Andrews as Torquay switched to a 3-4-3 formation in a bid to snatch something from the game.
Jason Lee scored Notts County's fourth goal of the match in the 82nd minute when he slotted home a cross from Lawrie Dudfield.
A few minutes later, the Gulls won a free kick on the edge of the penalty area after Leon Hapgood was felled by Jay Smith. Ryan Dickson stepped up to take it and fired the ball wide.
In injury time, Jason Lee completed his brace when he latched on to a cross from Andy Parkinson and fired home from close range past Martin Horsell.
Parkinson came close to scoring a sixth for the Magpies, but his shot was blocked on the line by Leon Hapgood.
