Sheffield Wednesday had no answer to a powerful first-half performance from City.

The home side were buried under an avalanche of goals before the break as Lewis Neal (2), Richard Johnson and Marc Goodfellow found the target.

Goodfellow was first off the mark midway through the opening half when he shot home from 20 yards.

A few minutes later former Watford midfielder Richard Johnson doubled the lead when he reacted quickest to a loose ball in the penalty area.

With City well on top further goals looked likely and they came from Neal with a quickfire blast just before the interval.

Chris Greenacre swept the ball out to Chris Iwelumo, whose cross was tucked home by the Potters midfielder after 40 minutes.

On the stroke of half-time Iwelumo was again the provider, flicking-on for Neal to volley home.

The home side improved after the break and pulled a goal back after an hour, but City remained on top and substitute Laurence Hall had two late chances to make the final result even more emphatic.

City: Cutler, Wilson, Clarke (Swift 85), Hutchinson, Owen, Johnson, Goodfellow, Henry, Iwelumo (Hall 72), Greenacre, Neal. Subs (not used): Duggan, Baptist, Graves.