IRELAND INTERNATIONAL Tom Cannon scored four goals as Stoke thrashed Portsmouth 6-1 to give new boss Narcis Pelach an emphatic first Championship win as Potters boss.

The on-loan Leicester striker had not previously scored in the league since his double for the Foxes on New Year’s Day.

But he netted his first two goals for the club and Sam Gallagher also opened his account as City led 3-1 at half-time.

And, as City went goal crazy with five in 10 minutes either side of the break, he added two more, including a contentious 48th-minute penalty.

Brighton loanee Andrew Moran also got in the act with Stoke’s sixth after Moran’s Seagulls teammate Mark O’Mahony equalised for John Mousinho’s side after 29 minutes.

Portsmouth’s defeat set an unwanted post-war record of eight league games without a win at the start of a new campaign.

Stoke had only scored four goals in their previous seven Championship outings but went close twice inside 30 seconds of kick-off.

Ben Wilmot cracked a left-footed shot against the crossbar while Will Norris blocked Enda Stevens’ follow-up.

Stoke continued to set the pace with Cannon shooting narrowly wide and Gallagher steering a shot into the side netting.

And it was no surprise when Cannon fired City in front after 13 minutes. Marlon Pack was penalised for fouling Gallagher and the 21-year-old Irishman curled in the resulting free-kick past Norris.

The Pompey goalie played a big role in his side’s equaliser in the 29th minute. His quick throw freed Jacob Murphy whose rapid run and burst through Lewis Koumas and Stevens saw him tee-up O’Mahoney.

That was as good as it got for Pompey. Two minutes before half-time Gallagher’s pass played in Cannon to shoot left footed beyond Norris.

Stoke were only warming up and Moran seized on Norris’ dismal pass before assisting for ex-Blackburn striker Gallagher to rocket home from 20 yards.

Norris’ nightmare night continued when he was adjudged to have fouled Cannon, though referee Tom Nield initially appeared to signal in favour of the visitors.

Cannon dusted himself down and fired his spot-kick beyond the shell-shocked Norris.

Three minutes later Cannon became the first Stoke player for 24 years to register four goals in a game with an angled left-foot shot.

There was one more moment of celebration for the home fans as Bae Jun-ho picked out Moran to finish in the 53rd minute as Stoke hit six for the first time since blitzing Liverpool in the Premier League nine years ago.

Elsewhere, troubled Milutin Osmajic scored twice as Preston moved out of the relegation zone with a 3-0 win over Watford at Deepdale.

Osmajic was charged by the Football Association with biting Blackburn defender Owen Beck during a goalless draw in September.

The 25-year-old Montenegro forward responded to being brought into the starting line-up by putting the hosts ahead eight minutes after the break and added his second in the 65th minute.

A superb Ali McCann strike extended the advantage with 15 minutes remaining as Preston registered only their second win of the campaign and moved up a place to 21st in the table.

Sheffield United extended their unbeaten start to the league season, climbing to third place with a 1-0 win against Swansea at Bramall Lane.

Swansea defender Josh Tymon scored a first-half own goal as the Blades secured their fifth league win since last season’s relegation from the Premier League.

Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday shared a goalless draw at Ashton Gate.

Additional reporting by AFP