Sheffield United 5 Notts County 1: Baxter on the spot as Blades cruise past Magpies into next round

Che Adams of Sheffield Utd is brought down by Haydn Hollis to concede another penalty and earn Hollis a red card
Sport Image. — Che Adams of Sheffield Utd is brought down by Haydn Hollis to concede another penalty and earn Hollis a red card Sport Image.

Jose Baxter’s brace, as well as goals from Matt Done, Stefan Scougall and Che Adams were the difference, with Jon Stead netting a consolation against his former club.

Done thought he had opened the scoring just nine minutes into the game after being played in by Jamal Campbell-Ryce and slotting past Scott Loach, but was flagged offside.

Eleven minutes later Baxter broke the deadlock from the penalty spot after former Magpies loanee Campell-Ryce was bought down in the box by Frenchman Thierry Audel.

The visitors’ best chance of an action packed first-half came when Liam Noble hit the bar.

Moments later Baxter turned provider with a through ball, as Done bagged his second in as many games, chipping over a helpless Loach.

Nine minutes before the interval, Baxter doubled his tally with a second spot-kick, smashing the ball into the roof of the net following Hollis’s foul on Adams.

Substitute Stead reduced the deficit as he bundled in Elliott Hewitt’s cross past the otherwise untroubled George Long.

Scougall extended the lead on 67 minutes, finding space before superbly curling across Loach into the bottom corner.

Hollis was finally given his marching orders by referee Carl Boyeson after bundling Adams down for a second time, with the youngster stepping up to complete the rout from the penalty spot.

Sheffield United: Long, Freeman, McGahey, McEveley, Woolford, Campbell-Ryce (Sammon 84), Scougall, Reed, Adams, Baxter (K Wallace 71), Done (Coutts 71). Unused substitutes: Howard, Sharp.

Notts County: Loach, Hewitt, Edwards (Swerts 45), Hollis, Audel, Campbell, Noble, Opoku Aborah (Smith 58), Burke (Stead 45), Barmby, McLeod. Unused substitutes: Sprockel, Pilkington.

Referee: C Boyeson (E Yorkshire).

Reading have been issued with a reduced fine of £40,000 – down from £100,000 – following the club’s appeal against a charge of misconduct over fans behaviour.

Their 2015 FA Cup quarter-final replay with Bradford City at the Madejski Stadium on March 16 was marred by fans invading the pitch at the end of their 3-0 victory, and objects, including a smoke flare, were thrown towards the away fans.