Jordan Rhodes nets twice as Sheffield Wednesday hammer out-of-sorts Norwich
Jordan Rhodes scored twice as Sheffield Wednesday bounced back from back-to-back defeats with a thumping 5-1 Sky Bet Championship triumph over Norwich.
Ross Wallace, Morgan Fox and Fernando Forestieri also scored for the Owls, with Cameron Jerome on target to briefly give the visitors hope at 2-1.
The result kept Wednesday two points behind fifth-placed Reading, and meant the Canaries have not won in four games.
Wednesday's Jack Hunt tried to pick out Rhodes with a cross from the right in the first noteworthy attack of the game, and, although the ball was headed away from the striker, the hosts did not have to wait long for the opener.
Carlos Carvalhal's men enjoyed plenty of possession early on and made the breakthrough in the 15th minute, aided by an error of judgement from Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy.
Ruddy raced out of his area as Sam Hutchinson threatened, but, instead of clearing the ball out of play for a throw-in, he played it straight to Wallace, who found the unguarded net from around 35 yards out.
Rhodes increased Wednesday's lead on 22 minutes by meeting Forestieri's left-wing cross with a well-placed header.
Carvalhal was forced to make a change just after the hour mark when Hutchinson was helped off the pitch, replaced by David Jones.
Norwich reduced the arrears in the 38th minute when, after Steven Naismith's shot was blocked by goalkeeper Keiren Westwood, the ball looped up and was headed home by Jerome at the far post.
The home team restored their two-goal lead just a few minutes later, however, when Forestieri's corner was met by a stooping far-post header from Fox four minutes before the interval.
Jonny Howson threatened for the visitors just before half-time, but his shot from the edge of the area was deflected over.
Wednesday's Sam Winnall sent a shot from inside the area narrowly wide as Wednesday looked to pull further clear soon after the restart.
Norwich's Wes Hoolahan then had a shot charged down before the Owls moved further ahead.
Barry Bannan swung the ball over from the left and Rhodes headed home his second goal of the afternoon on 54 minutes.
Jerome had a chance for Norwich when he found himself free inside the area, but his weak shot was straight at Westwood.
Forestieri made it 5-1 midway through the second half with a superb 25-yard free-kick into the top-left corner of Ruddy's net.
Norwich manager Alex Neil made a double substitution in the 71st minute, sending on Josh Murphy and Alex Pritchard in place of Naismith and Hoolahan.
Jerome went close with a header which hit the side-netting, but the visitors never looked likely to mount a comeback as Wednesday cruised through the final few minutes of the game.
Source : PA
Source: PA