Cardiff City continued their League One promotion celebrations with a carefree demolition of bottom side Northampton Town, who looked every bit a team whose relegation had already been confirmed.
With a party atmosphere at a sunny Cardiff City Stadium for the Bluebirds' final home game of the season, the gulf in class between the teams was abundantly clear as the hosts cantered to a 3-0 half-time lead.
Ollie Tanner's half-volley into the roof of the net set them on their way, before Rubin Colwill set up brother Joel to prod in Cardiff's second.
If Northampton's defending was passive for those goals, it was self-destructive for the third, as Jack Vale's back-pass went straight to Callum Robinson, who could not believe his luck as he swept in a confident finish.
Tanner helped himself to a second after the break, lashing into an empty net from Joel Bagan's low cross.
Northampton substitute Jake Evans fired in from the edge of the penalty area, though it would be a stretch to describe the fine strike as consolation for their travelling fans, some of whom had left before half-time.
Yousef Salech then came off the bench to score a late fifth goal for Cardiff as he tapped in from Robinson's pass.
The result had no bearing on league placings, as the Bluebirds were already only able to finish second, while Northampton remain bottom of the table with two games left in their season to forget.
These teams are heading in opposite directions. League rivals this season, they will be two divisions apart next term.
Whereas Cardiff sealed their instant return to the Championship with victory at Reading a week earlier, Northampton's relegation to League Two was confirmed with four games left when they lost at Luton Town on 15 April.
Judging by this encounter, it did not seem plausible that these two sides could play in the same league.
This was a dream fixture for Cardiff's players. With promotion secured and the sun shining, they played their woeful opponents off the park while barely breaking sweat.
As for Northampton, as if their sorry season could not get any worse, this was a humiliation too far for some of their supporters who left before half-time.
It was hard to blame them after watching their team surrender in the face of constant Cardiff pressure.
Had this been a training exercise between attack and defence, the session would have been abandoned due to a lack of meaningful opposition.
Cardiff have outplayed several teams this season – hardly a surprise given their wage bill and how technically superior they are to all other teams in the division.
But they have not met many – if any – who have posed so little resistance.
The ease of their victory added to the joy of the occasion, as Cardiff's fans streamed on to the pitch at the final whistle.
Northampton, meanwhile, will be glad there are only two games left to play in this woeful campaign
Cardiff City: Tyrer; Kpakio, Fish, Lawlor, Bagan, Turnbull (Tankiewicz 87’), J. Colwill (Robertson 55’), R. Colwill (Salech 55’), Tanner (Davies 65’), Robinson, Willock (Davies 65’). Subs Not Used: Trott, Ng.
Northampton Town: Burge, Guinness-Walker, Guthrie, Dyche, McCarthy, Hoskins (Evans 66’), Campbell (Taylor 89’), McGeehan, Swyer (McAdam 46’), Fornah (Jacobs 81’), Vale (List 46’). Subs Not Used: Eave, Fitzsimons.
