Josh Windass has scored in five successive matches for Sheffield Wednesday
Josh Windass scored an incredible goal from well inside his own half as Sheffield Wednesday comfortably beat Derby County in the Championship.
Windass collected the ball from inside his own defensive third and hit a sweet strike over Rams goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom from at least 60 yards.
Barry Bannan, Djeidi Gassama and Anthony Musaba also scored for the Owls, while Jerry Yates and Ebou Adams netted consolation goals for Derby.
Wednesday forward Windass said there was a "need" for his side to score the first goal earlier in the week following their 3-1 loss at Preston North End on Sunday, the second consecutive match where they had conceded three goals.
His wishes were granted as former Scotland midfielder Bannan broke the deadlock at Hillsborough inside 10 minutes.
Derby defender Sonny Bradley's lack of pace was exposed by Wednesday's lively wing-back Gassama who then fed Shea Charles and his low driven cross gave captain Bannan an easy finish.
Despite a poor start, the Rams worked themselves back into the game, with efforts from Kane Wilson and Nat Phillips testing home keeper Jack Beadle.
Yates missed a good chance to equalise as he struck the post from Kenzo Goudmijn's superb delivery just before half-time.
Owls boss Danny Rohl made two changes at the break with Windass and 19-year-old defennder Gabriel Otegbayo coming on.
Just after the hour mark, Windass scored one of the finest goals the Championship has surely ever seen.
The forward took a touch, saw Widell Zetterstrom just off his line, and placed the ball perfectly over his head.
Shortly after Windass' goal of the season contender, Gassama was rewarded for his hard work on the right wing as he ran through on goal from Svante Inglesson's deft headed pass and fired across Zetterstrom into the bottom right corner.
On-loan Swansea striker Yates made up for his miss earlier as he poked in Derby's first of the afternoon but Musaba, who came on for Bannan on the hour mark, scored a rebound from his own effort to make it 4-1.
Adams picked out the top left corner in stoppage time but it was too little, too late for the Rams.
Sheffield Wednesday are now only three points outside the play-off places, while Derby are four points above the drop zone.
Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"I said to him [Windass] before the game 'Josh I need you', especially for the second half and he did exactly what we needed.
"He's in great form at the minute. He performed well, he scored nearly from every situation, this is outstanding.
"My job is to manage him a little bit, protect him and I think it was helpful he gives us in the second half immediately a lift and control.
"All in all, big credit to my team compared to the situation last year. I think this is outstanding at the moment."
Derby County defender Craig Forsyth told BBC Radio Derby:
"It's really disappointing coming away from home and losing four goals but losing the goals so early.
"That put us on the back foot and we had to come out. They were just bad goals really first and foremost.
"It's something we can't continue and we've got to put a stop to it."
