Hot prospect Kenwyne Jones inspired Sheffield Wednesday to a second-half goal blitz as the hosts crushed luckless Wrexham.
The Trinidadian youngster, who extended his loan from Southampton earlier in the day, made it six goals in five appearances for the Owls with clinical headers after 55 and 59 minutes.
Steven MacLean put Wednesday ahead with a 49th minute penalty after Stephen Roberts had been sent off for a professional foul on Joey O'Brien.
The decision proved a turning point and this defeat left cash-strapped Wrexham in the relegation zone.
The Red Dragons were docked ten points in December for falling into administration and the deduction dumped them in the bottom four.
Since then they have won only twice and suffered from a lack of confidence at Hillsborough, with heads dropping as soon as they went behind,
Left back Paul Heckingbottom made it four with a flick header from Matthew Hamshaw's corner after 84 minutes.
Wednesday's top scorer MacLean brought a reflex save from Andy Dibble with a ninth minute drive, after good work from Kenwyne Jones.
John Paul McGovern then rifled a volley wide from the resulting corner.
McGovern teed up Glenn Whelan on the edge of the area but the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international side-footed over.
The visitors' Chris Armstrong was gifted a glorious opportunity after 30 minutes when he pounced on Richard Wood's poor headed back pass, but his delicate chip was clawed away by David Lucas.
Armstrong was then denied by Whelan who headed a goal-bound effort off the line.
Wednesday struggled to get out of their own half, but when they finally broke Kenwyne Jones found McGovern in space in the penalty area but the Scot's shot struck the inside of the post.