Manchester City were in seventh heaven following their Carling Cup victory against Barnsley.
Kevin Keegan's City side recorded its highest goal total since the move to a new home at Eastlands.
And after a troubled start to the campaign, the City manager had plenty to smile about on a night when it rained goals for his side.
City over powererd their Coca Cola League One opponents even without key players David James, Richard Dunne, Claudio Reyna and Nicolas Anelka, who were all rested.
The squad players Keegan gave rare opportunities to did him proud with Willo Flood scoring his first senior goal.
Jonathan Macken and Antoine Sibierski both grabbed braces while Joey Barton also found the net. For all the scorers it was their first goals of the season.
Sibierski and Macken both wasted early chances, though Barnsley could have stolen into the lead when Nicky Wroe was denied by a brilliant save from Dutch goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus, who was making his City debut.
City finally made a breakthrough in the 21st minute when Sylvain Distin and Shaun Wright-Phillips set up Barton whose drive from 25 yards found the top corner.
And from that moment it was a procession of goals with a further four scored in the remainder of the opening half.
City soon doubled their advantage when Flood, playing on the right side of midfield, released Shaun Wright-Phillips whose right-wing cross was headed home at the far post by Macken.
Sibierski and Shaun Wright-Phillips linked well to set up Flood who cut in from the right and fired a left-foot shot which squeezed past goalkeeper Nick Colgan for City's third goal.
The hard-working Shaun Wright-Phillips, who had had a hand in all of the goals, was rewarded as he scored City's fourth in the 36th minute.
Macken released the England international who beat Anthony Kay before coolly chipping keeper Colgan.
Colgan brilliantly tipped over Sibierski's drive before being beaten for a fifth time shortly before the break.
Macken latched on to an awful back pass from Jacob Burns and rounded Colgan before walking the ball into the net.
City made three half-time substitutions which included handing Bradley Wright-Phillips, younger brother of Shaun, his first-team debut.
Barnsley pulled a goal back little over a minute after the re-start when a poor pass from Barton was intercepted by former City player Barry Conlon who raced through to score.
Shaun Wright-Phillips set up his brother Bradley who ballooned his shot over the crossbar when he ought to have scored his first senior goal.
It was not long before City found the net again when the hard-working Sibierski was finally rewarded for his efforts as he cut in from the left and fired a shot low past Colgan.
Conlan came within inches of scoring his second goal of the game when a header from Michael Chopra's corner struck the crossbar.
And City made it seven in the 84th minute when Shaun Wright-Phillips crossed from the right for Sibierski to head home his second goal of the night at the far post.