Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna said his side’s performance was “outstanding” from the first minute to last in their 6-0 mauling of Sheffield Wednesday.

Omari Hutchinson and substitute Ali Al-Hamadi both struck twice while Nathan Broadhead and Cameron Burgess were also on the scoresheet as the Tractor Boys recorded their biggest win of the season.

The victory also saw Ipswich climb back into second place in the Championship, two points ahead of Leeds who host Millwall on Sunday.

McKenna said: “I thought it was an outstanding performance from pretty well first minute to last minute in all phases of the game. We showed our identity, our style, our culture, the group.”

“It was probably the relentless of it. I think some of the football was outstanding, our pressing against a well set-up team but probably the way we kept going because at 3-0 sometimes the second half can be flat and the game can fizzle out, but we came into today with a real determination to deliver a performance first and foremost, not to think about the scoreline, the points or anything like that.

“I think the mentality to keep going in the way that we did was really very, very good.”

Hutchinson, who McKenna said was “excellent”, opened the floodgates in the 15th minute and strikes from Burgess and Broadhead saw Ipswich firmly in control at half-time.

Hutchinson added a subline fourth soon after the restart before Al-Hamadi netted two late goals to wrap up an emphatic win.

For Wednesday, a second successive defeat – having previously clamed five wins in six – leaves them still deep in trouble near the foot of the table, but it might have been a different story had they made the most of early chances for Anthony Musaba and Djeidi Gassama.

Owls manager Danny Rohl, whose side are two points from safety, wants the defeat against a team that was “on fire” to be a lesson for the Yorkshire outfit

He said: “A big defeat and a bit disappointed.

“When I come to such a place I never go and say I’m scared of any opponent, I always want to try something.

“I think today (showed) why we are in our position and Ipswich are where they are.

“The whole picture from Ipswich today, the facilities, the pitch, the team, I think they chose a big, big direction where Ipswich want to go.

“I think this is good to see and I look at the development of this team here and of this manager who I have a big, big respect for, it’s outstanding.

“For us it’s about learning from this game.

“We come here and it was the reason why I played maybe our best four offensive players in front instead of a back five because I want to be brave, I want to create good, good ball-winning situations, to have good transition moments.

“But I think they (Ipswich) were on fire and really deserved the whole picture today.”

Ipswich swept back into second place in the Sky Bet Championship with an emphatic 6-0 win over relegation-threatened Sheffield Wednesday.

A brace apiece by Omari Hutchinson and Ali Al-Hamadi helped Town leapfrogged above Leeds ahead of the Yorkshire side’s home match with Millwall on Sunday.

Three first-half goals put Ipswich in complete control at Portman Road with Cameron Burgess and Nathan Broadhead adding to Hutchinson’s 15th-minute opener.

Hutchinson added a sublime fourth goal soon after half-time before substitute Al-Hamadi struck twice late on as the Tractor Boys recorded their biggest win of the season.

The Owls, meanwhile, remain down in 23rd spot and two points adrift of safety after seeing their recent revival dented by successive defeats.

Wednesday had won five of six matches prior to their loss at Leeds last time out and they showed promising signs early on at Ipswich as they created several chances.

However, Anthony Musaba could not make the most of his opportunities while Ipswich goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky was called upon to turn Djeidi Gassama’s shot round the post, and it was the home who drew first blood.

Wes Burns picked out Hutchinson near to the penalty spot and his fine low shot beat Beadle.

Gassami almost bought the scores level when his snap-shot from just outside the penalty area had Hladky diving across his goal line to push the ball round the post.

Burns limped off with what appeared to be a calf injury in the 36th minute, but the Tractor Boys extended their lead a minute later following a goalmouth scramble from a Leif Davis corner.

Kieffer Moore initially headed the ball onto the crossbar but Australia international Burgess was on hand to hammer home and make it 2-0.

The points were all-but sewn up in first-half stoppage time when Broadhead put the hosts further ahead after meeting substitute Kayden Jackson’s cross inside the six-yard box.

Ipswich picked up where they left off after the break and Hutchinson fired just over before getting his second of the match in the 48th minute after receiving the ball from Broadhead and slamming a shot past Beadle.

The Wednesday keeper had to claw away a long-range effort from Massimo Luongo soon after but he was beaten again in the 80th minute when Al-Hamadi made it 5-0 after Beadle had parried Jeremy Sarmiento’s shot into his path

Hutchinson’s inch-perfect cross in the 90th minute was then converted by Al-Hamadi to wrap up a comprehensive win for promotion-chasing Town.

Ipswich moved to within three points of the Sky Bet Championship automatic promotion places as they returned to winning ways by thrashing struggling Millwall 4-0.

Kieran McKenna’s early season challengers had won just one in nine league games but survived a slow start to run out deserved victors at The Den.

Nathan Broadhead scored one and made another in the first half while in-form Bournemouth loanee Kieffer Moore headed home and Ali Al-Hamadi converted a stoppage-time penalty as Ipswich eased to just a second league win of the calendar year.

Despite their drop-off in form, McKenna’s side lost just twice in that run and the former Manchester United assistant will be hoping this result heralds a return to form – with a trip to Swansea next up on Saturday.

Millwall started the better of the two sides and the recalled Ryan Leonard hammered an effort over the crossbar after an early corner was cleared to the edge of the Ipswich box.

The home side showed four changes from their loss at Coventry and another returnee came close on four minutes as George Saville’s drive was saved by Vaclav Hladky.

With the hosts on top, Tom Bradshaw should have done better as the Lions countered an Ipswich corner but the ball got caught under his feet and Harrison Clarke got back to clear.

Hladky was forced into action again to save low from Leonard as Millwall maintained their head of steam.

But despite their dominance, Joe Edwards’ men fell behind at the midway point of the first half with Broadhead’s accurate back-header from Omari Hutchinson’s cross putting Ipswich ahead against the run of play.

The lead was doubled soon after as Harding inadvertently turned Broadhead’s low cross into his own goal.

The points were all-but secured on the stroke of half-time, Moore heading into the ground and over Sarkic for his third goal in as many games.

The second half was a much more even affair as Millwall matched their visitors, who had taken their foot off the gas.

Still, though, the home side could not find a way to beat Hladky, the former Salford keeper going largely untested after the interval other than preventing a Bradshaw consolation.

Ipswich could have extended their advantage as Wes Burns and Conor Chaplin had decent chances before referee Sam Barrott pointed to the spot for a Murray Wallace foul on substitute Al-Hamadi. The January signing from AFC Wimbledon dusted himself down to score his first goal for his new club.

While Ipswich continue to look up, Edwards has now seen his side take just one point from their last six league games and – with Stoke and Huddersfield both winning – they have dropped to 21st in the table.