Sheffield Wednesday were buried under an avalanche of goals at Reading on Tuesday night, Brian Laws' side never recovering from gifting their hosts two early goals, the final tally standing at 6-0.

Indecision at the back cost Wednesday in the first ten minutes but the Owls never got a foothold in the game and were already on the end of a highly embarrassing score line just after the hour-mark.

Laws opted for an attacking line-up with Jermaine Johnson and Deon Burton leading the Owls attack, the latter replacing Steve Watson as a solitary change to the Wednesday team which beat Watford 2-0 at home on Saturday.

Marcus Tudgay started on the right side of a four-man midfield while Francis Jeffers took up a place on the bench for the first time this season following his ankle injury.

A lively opening saw both teams eager to attack and the first chance of the match saw Etienne Esajas' 25-yard free kick just wide of Hahnemann's left-hand post in the fourth minute after Burton was felled.

But the Owls were behind in the fifth minute when a mix-up in communication between Tommy Spurr and James O'Connor presented Reading with possession in an advanced position on the right. Noel Hunt found himself in possession unchallenged in the penalty area and it was a simple a task for him to square for Doyle to slot past Lee Grant from close range.

Johnson was presented with a good chance to pull the Owls back level within two minutes but having beaten centre back, Alex Pearce, the forward showed too much of the ball to Hahnemann, allowing the American keeper to grab the ball.

Matters soon worsened for Wednesday though as Doyle was presented with the ball just 12 yards out, again a mix-up between O'Connor and the Owls defence gifting possession to the Royals. Again Doyle lapped up his unexpected opportunity and smashed the ball into the top left-hand corner to make it 2-0.

Wednesday had created their own problems by indecisiveness in dangerous areas and Doyle was already sniffing a hat trick when he headed wide from Stephen Hunt's cross on 14 minutes.

Laws reverted to a more familiar line-up by switching Tudgay and Johnson, with the Jamaican taking up a spot on the right wing.

But just as Wednesday looked to have stemmed the flow of Reading's early surges in attack, the Royals extended their lead to three goals. Stephen Hunt's curling left sided free kick saw centre half Andre Bikey rise above everybody in the box to head powerfully home.

The Berkshire side seemed to be first to every loose ball and the game was largely by-passing Wednesday as Lee Grant prevented a fourth Reading goal, saving well from Noel Hunt's 38th minute header.

The Owls' evening had been summed up when a rare attack saw Johnson centre for McAllister, the ball rebounding to Burton only for Hahnemann to make a good save down to his right.

Grant was called into another fine save with half time approaching as the home team's skipper, James Harper pounced on the ball in midfield and tried to feed in Jem Karacan.

If the first half had been a painful experience for the Owls, that pain was compounded within five minutes of the re-start when Hahnemann's goal kick evaded everybody apart from Noel Hunt, who slotted past the advancing Grant to make it 4-0.

The Owls were toothless and spineless, bearing no comparison to the near identical line-up to beat Watford three days earlier.

Just after the hour mark Doyle was allowed to twist and turn in the box to complete an easy hat trick and moments later Noel Hunt hade it 6-0 for Steve Coppell's men.

Despite the terribly lopsided score line, Grant continued to make saves keep the arrears down and substitute Shane Long hit the crossbar.

Unfortunately for Francis Jeffers, his much awaited return as a substitute came swimming against a very strong current and Wednesday never seriously threatened their hosts goal.

Wednesday (4-4-2): Grant; McMahon, Wood, Spurr, Gilbert; Tudgay, McAllister (Smith 62), O'Connor, Esajas (Small 55); Johnson, Burton (Jeffers 69).

Subs not used: O'Donnell, Clarke.

Booked: Gilbert 54 (foul)

Reading (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Rosenior, Bikey, Pearce, Armstrong; Kebe, Harper, Karacan, S Hunt (Convey 62), Doyle (Long 62), N Hunt (Kelly 77).

Subs not used: Sodje, Federici.

Attendance: 18, 159