Goals from Barry Bannan, Michael Smith, Mallik Wilks and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru gave Wednesday a comfortable 4-2 win over struggling Burton at Hillsborough.
The Owls simply had too much for the relegation-threatened Midlanders, who wilted under the continual pressure from Darren Moore’s men.
Once the first goal went in, the result was never in doubt as Wednesday turned up the heat on the top two.
Ex-Owl Sam Winnall and Tom Hamer did pull back late consolations and substitute Lee Gregory missed a penalty but overall the scoreline hardly reflected the story of the contest.
A low-key opening made way for an explosive five minutes that provided the platform for victory.
The first goal, on 21 minutes, came from a moment of Bannan magic that illuminated a dusky S6 afternoon.
Brewers keeper Ben Garratt pushed out a long range effort from Tyreeq Bakinson and the last player the visitors would have wished to see the rebound land was Bannan.
Little seemed on for the skipper inside the area on the angle but a shimmy and delightful curled shot into the top corner sent the Owls into the lead.
And on 26 minutes, one became two. Bannan’s hit struck the hand of Sam Hughes, the referee pointed to the spot and Smith stepped up to smash the penalty home.
Burton were made to feed on scraps as Wednesday dictated the tempo. Time and again the hosts poured forward, with the feeling that one more goal would put the game to bed.
It duly arrived on 52 minutes. A slick move involving Callum Paterson, Smith and Bannan ended with Wilks bending a beauty from distance out of Garratt’s reach.
It could have been worse for the overrun Brewers too, as first Smith and then Paterson had shots cleared off the line.
Paterson went close again, this time seeing a looped header strike the crossbar, before Wednesday made it 4-0 on 70 minutes.
Paterson and Wilks combined to feed Dele-Bashiru 20 yards out and the side-foot finish into the bottom corner was sublime.
The only blot on the Owls’ copybook were the two late goals conceded and Gregory’s penalty miss.
On 71 minutes Joe Powell motored down the right and his inviting cross into the mix was headed in by ex-Owl Winnall.
But Wednesday went straight up the other end and won a second spot-kick after Paterson was upended by Calum Butcher.
Gregory’s strike was true but cannoned back into play off the woodwork and Burton promptly reduced the deficit to 4-2 with eight minutes to go.
Another former Owl, Deji Oshilaja, swung over a dangerous cross from the left and Hamer glanced a header high into the roof of the net.
But it was too little too late for Burton, who headed back down the M1 rooted in the bottom three while Wednesday strengthened their hold at the top end of the table.
Wednesday: Stockdale, Palmer, Iorfa, McGuinness, Bannan (Byers 67), Dele-Bashiru (Vaulks 87), Bakinson, Johnson, Paterson, Wilks (Hunt 87), Smith (Gregory 67)