McCarthy forced to deploy Doyle and Fletcher to finish off County

Wolverhampton Wanderers 4 Notts County 2 (aet)

Mick McCarthy, the Wolves manager, was unhappy with his side's performance as they needed extra time to overcome Notts County at Molineux.

McCarthy made nine changes from the side which played Tottenham at the weekend but still felt there was enough quality on display to dispose of the League One outfit. Instead he had to bring on first-choice strikers Kevin Doyle and Steven Fletcher to rescue the tie with three goals between them in extra-time.

Wolves had needed a penalty from Christophe Berra seven minutes from the end of normal time to bring them level after Lee Hughes, who displayed a T-shirt emblazoned with the words "Boing, Boing" – the chant of his former club West Bromwich Albion – had broken the deadlock.

McCarthy said: "If you are looking for positives, then Kevin and Steven provided them because they are top class, the pair of them. But Notts County were excellent and did to us what we did to Spurs for 75 minutes at the weekend. This time we got a penalty and the win seems a bit unjust on them."

McCarthy added: "I want to take nothing away from Notts County. They played well. But our performance was very poor. It was a Premier League team, no trialists, no youth teamers, and we ought to have been capable of playing better."

The Notts County manager, Craig Short, admitted to being frustrated at the outcome. He said: "We were leading 1-0 and had the chance to make it 2-0 and finish them off. I'm exceptionally proud of them. They are so disappointed."