Tom Cannon scored four goals as Stoke hammered Portsmouth 6-1 to give Narcis Pelach an impressive first win as manager of the English Championship side.

Stoke's breathtaking display first-half display on Wednesday (Thursday AEST) brought 17 shots, which included a superb free kick from Cannon, before Mark O'Mahony brought Portsmouth level with his first goal for the club.

Cannon restored Stoke's lead and Sam Gallagher opened his account for the Potters with a rocket into the top corner, before Cannon tucked away a second-half penalty to complete his hat-trick.

Stoke were not done there, though, and Cannon added his fourth, before Andrew Moran got in on the act to end a run of three defeats on the bounce in emphatic style.

Milutin Osmajic scored twice to help Preston to a convincing 3-0 win over Watford.

The 25-year-old accepted a violent conduct charge for biting Blackburn's Owen Beck on Tuesday and scored two goals in 12 second-half minutes to put North End firmly in command.

They sealed the points when Ali McCann lashed an effort in off a post as they claimed a first win in five games and moved out of the bottom three.

Sheffield United secured a fourth win from five games with a 1-0 victory over Swansea.

The all-important moment came on the stroke of half-time when Harrison Burrows' teasing ball into the box was diverted into his own net by Josh Tymon.

The Blades' city rivals Sheffield Wednesday defied heavy Bristol City pressure to earn a battling 0-0 draw.