Cheltenham Town were hit for their heaviest defeat since gaining promotion to the Football League in 1999 by high-flying Hull City.
The result was harsh on Cheltenham who enjoyed plenty of possession and created chances of their own, but the Hull front line of Gary Alexander and Lawrie Dudfield proved a lethal combination.
They were supplied from the left by former Oldham and Huddersfield winger David Beresford, who also enjoyed an excellent game.
However, the Robins defence, which has been the cornerstone of recent improved results, had an afternoon to forget and arguably played a contributing role in all five goals.
Cheltenham, fielding a team that was unchanged for the seventh successive match, made a nightmare start to the game by conceding an own-goal after less than two minutes.
Michael Duff was penalised for a push on Jamaican international Theodore Whitmore, a decision manager Steve Cotterill felt should have been given the other way, and left-back Andy Holt lined up a free-kick from fully 40 yards.
Holt's shot lacked the power to beat Steve Book until Chris Banks attempted to boot it clear. He completely mis-cued his kick and the resulting deflection beat the stranded goalkeeper.
Cheltenham spent the next 20 minutes playing some neat and tidy football in the opposition half of the field.
Lee Williams shot wide from six yards from a Jamie Victory cross and Lee Howells engineered a good opening for himself but elected to pass to Tony Naylor instead of shoot.
Naylor played the ball wide to Williams but his cross was cleared and the chance was gone. Mark Yates blasted wide from long range, but just as it looked as though the Robins were finding their way back into the contest they were hit back the hammer blow of two goals within five minutes.
The second Hull goal arrived when goalkeeper Matt Glennon thumped a free-kick down the middle of the field. Alexander directed a flick-header towards goal and the ball bounced off Banks and into space. Dudfield reacted quickest to reach the ball ahead of Chris Banks and propel it past Book from eight yards.
Four minutes later it was 3-0, Holt supplying Dudfield down the left and he beat Neil Howarth before pulling the ball back for Alexander to head past Book from close in.
At that point Hull had forced three shots and goal and scored three goals. Cheltenham, meanwhile, had stuck to their game plan of constructive passing but had been sucker-punched by three goals out of nothing.
Steve Cotterill took immediate action by sending on Neil Grayson for Williams and switching to a three man attack for the remaining hour of the contest.
Hull went close to adding further goals when Alexander and Beresford both shot wide, but Cheltenham made a bright start to the second half, Grayson firing wide from the edge of the area.
Banks blocked a shot from Alexander on the goal-line after Beresford had supplied an inviting cross, but Cheltenham finally gained a foot-hold in the game with a goal 22 minutes from the end.
Yates and Naylor both had shots parried by Glennon but the resulting corner, taken by Russell Milton, arrived at the feet of Julian Alsop 15 yards out. His shot seemed to take a deflection on the way to beating Glennon.
Cheltenham pushed forward in search of a second goal but Hull hit them with another goal against the run of play in the 78th minute.
Beresford won the ball from Howells on the edge of the box and the ball ran free to Whitmore. He zig-zagged his way past Banks before driving a low shot beyond Book.
Three minutes later the Tigers compounded Cheltenham's misery when Beresford latched onto a hesitant piece of defending by Howarth and smashed the ball past Book to register his first, and thoroughly deserved, goal for the club.
Hull manager Brian Little was generous in his praise of Cheltenham Town despite the result. He said: "They are a good side and will be on the bus wondering how they lost this game 5-1."
Cheltenham manager Steve Cotterill, however, has the job of picking his players up before Tuesday's local derby visit from Bristol Rovers.
HULL CITY: Glennon; Edwards, Petty, Mohan, Holt; R. Williams (Goodison 73), Johnsson, Whitmore (Lee 82), Beresford; Alexander (Bloomer 87), Dudfield. Subs: Musselwhite, Matthews.
CHELTENHAM TOWN: Book; Howarth, M. Duff, Banks, Victory; L. Williams (Grayson 30), Yates (McAuley 82), Howells, Milton; Alsop, Naylor (Devaney 82). Subs: Brough, Muggleton.
REFEREE: M.G. Cowburn (Lancashire)
ATTENDANCE: 9,435