Not since late August had Notts carried off all three points in front of their home fans with four draws and two defeats in the long intervening period.
Though Notts took some time to develop their real rhythm there was never any doubt that they were the better side and that Stockport would slide to their seventh game running without a win.
It took Notts 41 minutes to prise open the visitors' defence with a goal from a set-piece. Robert Ullathorne's free-kick was flicked on by Kelvin Wilson and central defender Julien Baudet, with a stooping header, delivered his third goal of the season.
Jake Sheridan, 19, the Notts man of the match, was twice unlucky in the first period. A stinging shot was carried by Stockport goalkeeper James Spencer and then the youngster aimed another shot narrowly wide of the target.
It was another youngster, defender Emmett Friars, who produced the decisive second goal. He went up for one of the seven corners Notts forced in the second half and after the ball had been touched on by Baudet, Friars slotted home at short range for his first ever goal in senior football.
By then Stockport were down to ten men when central defender Ashley Williams was sent off for a second bookable offence - a heavy challenge on Sheridan bringing the second yellow card. The only Notts player to be booked, midfielder David Pipe, has now picked up five yellow cards and will miss the Boxing Day trip to Oxford United for which Notts hope to have some of their injured players fit.