Kane Hemmings scored twice as Notts won 3-1 in stormy conditions at Carlisle United's Brunton Park.
The forward put his side ahead in the first half before doubling the lead from the penalty spot after the break.
Hallam Hope set up a nervy finish with an opportunist's goal late on but Lewis Alessandra made sure of the points deep into stoppage time.
Neal Ardley made four changes to the starting line-up that tasted defeat at Cheltenham days earlier.
Ben Barclay, Virgil Gomis, Craig Mackail-Smith and Jon Stead made way for Richard Duffy, David Vaughan, Lewis Alessandra and Hemmings.
There was room on the bench for Will Patching and Kion Etete, although Mackail-Smith was absent from the squad.
Gale-force winds were swirling incessant rain in Notts' favour in the first half and the Magpies penned their hosts in for the majority of the opening 45 minutes.
Ardley's men first came close to the opener with eight minutes on the clock, Adam Collin saving Enzio Boldewijn's low drive before Hemmings turned the ball over the bar on the follow-up.
Vaughan sent a long-range effort wide before Alessandra was gifted possession in the Carlisle area only to send his cross-shot across goal and out for a throw in.
The game's first booking went to Rob Milsom for a late challenge on Stefan Scougall moments before Notts again came close to breaking the deadlock.
A corner was swung into the Carlisle penalty area and Collin dropped the ball at his back post. Alessandra was first on the scene but a Blues defender managed to turn the ball out for a corner.
O'Brien lashed a 20-yard effort wide before Tom Parkes fluffed a clearance just wide of his own post as the conditions continued to cause havoc.
Collin was called into action again on 35 minutes when Doyle's free-kick took a nick off someone in the middle, forcing the keeper into a good save to his right.
But the former Magpies keeper was finally beaten moments later when Hemmings pounced on Gary Liddle's underhit backpass and scored at the second attempt after his initial effort was saved.
O'Brien tried to double the lead with an audacious 35-yard effort which was carried just over the bar by the wind before Danny Grainger claimed the hosts' first shot of the evening. Schofield made the save low down to ensure Notts went into the break ahead.
There were no changes at half-time and the first shot of the second half went to the Cumbrians as Regan Slater fired the ball wide from 20 yards out.
The wind was now in the hosts' favour but Notts maintained their threat at the other end, applying some good pressure which resulted in Milsom's excellent cross almost being turned home by Boldewijn at the back post.
Former Notts loanee Nathan Thomas was introduced for the hosts on 57 minutes but the winger could do nothing to prevent a penalty being awarded to Notts when Duffy was clumsily brought down in the area.
A scuffle ensued between both sets of players resulting in a booking for Hemmings and a Carlisle player.
But the forward kept his cool to eventually fire his spotkick into the top corner.
A nervy finale was to follow, though, as the hosts halved the deficit with 14 minutes to play.
It came after Hope hung behind Schofield, who didn't know he was there. The keeper dropped the ball in front of him to clear but Hope nipped in to steal it and roll it into the empty net.
The keeper made amends with two strong saves to deny Thomas before Ardley sent Pierce Bird on in place of Boldewijn.
Mitch Rose went into the book for preventing the taking of a Carlisle free-kick and Hope fired an effort wide as the clock ticked down towards full-time.
But Notts made sure of the win deep into stoppage time when, with Collin stranded upfield, Alessandra ran half the length of the field and rolled the ball into an empty net to secure a win which narrowed the gap between the Magpies and third-bottom Yeovil to four points.