A clinical volley from Lee Peacock saw Sheffield Wednesday past a young Walsall side at Hillsborough.
The ex-Bristol City striker grabbed his second goal for the club on 20 minutes, coolly volleying past debutant Mark Paston.
Despite a League One game in 48 hours at Tranmere, Wednesday boss Chris Turner named an unchanged team following Saturday's 1-0 win over Huddersfield.
Paul Merson rang the changes for Walsall, giving youngsters a chance and also recalling himself to the starting line-up.
The goal a quiet game badly needed arrived on 20 minutes. Glenn Whelan played a sweeping crossfield ball which beat the Walsall defence and found Peacock, who cushioned the ball on his chest and fired beyond Paston from 12 yards.
A minute later Lee Bullen went close with a header as Wednesday looked to impose their authority and experience on the game.
Wednesday continued to press and in the 28th minute John Paul McGovern's far-post cross was headed straight at Paston by Chris Marsden.
Mark Wright acrobatically denied McGovern from steering Wednesday into a 2-0 lead on the stroke of half-time, when he volleyed away Peacock's cross from under the Scotsman's nose.
Wright thumped the bar with a volley just two minutes after the break in Walsall's first meaningful attack.
Wednesday keeper David Lucas was called into the action in the 55th minute to prevent Guy Branston's overhit backpass looping over his head.
It was all one-way traffic as sub Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu and Peacock both squandered chances.
But the pace of Wright and vision of Merson meant Wednesday had to stay sharp at the back.
HASH(0x8d136e4)