WEDNESDAY will aim to bounce straight back from their first defeat of the new season on Tuesday night when they face League One newboys Bury at Gigg Lane.
Wednesday slipped to a 2-0 defeat against Bournemouth on the south coast after they kick-started their campaign with back-to-back wins in league and cup.
The Owls will be slight favourites for the trip across the Pennines to face a side who won promotion from League Two last season.
Bury have had mixed fortunes this season – having a win, a defeat and a draw to their name from their three games. They’re yet to win in the league though, and will be looking to put that right against the Owls.
Vital Quotes:
Bury manager Richie Barker told the official Bury website:
‘Now it’s Sheff Wednesday and with all respect to their current squad, its not Chris Waddle, Des Walker, Peter Shirtliff and so on.
‘Both myself and Shirty are Wednesday fans and we obviously hope that they get back to where they were.It will be a decent atmosphere and we will be able to fizz the ball about.
‘For some reason the lads were not lifted on Saturday, either on or off the ball, they were flat, but they should be lifted against a side like Sheffield Wednesday.’
Bury Team News:
Bury boss Richie Barker is a self-confessed Wednesdayite but he’ll be going all out to get one over on the Owls on Tuesday night.
Bury have yet to win in the league since promotion but have seen off Coventry City in the League Cup – something they’ll take into Tuesday night’s clash.
The Lancashire side will be without the services of Steven Schumacher, who’s set to be sidelined for a number of weeks through injury.
They’re also monitoring Mark Cullen on a daily basis but he won’t be available for the visit of Wednesday.
Bury haven’t got the biggest squad in the league but Barker could make changes following his side’s 2-0 home loss against Carlisle United at the weekend.
Player to watch: Ryan Lowe
Lowe was Bury’s star striker in League Two last season and the Gigg Lane club will need his goals to have a good season in League One this term.
Wednesday Team News:
Owls boss Gary Megson may look to make changes following the set-back at Dean Court on Saturday.
New signing Paul Lines could well make his debut in the Wednesday midfield after he made a substitute appearance at Bournemouth at the weekend.
Megson will also be hoping another new addition in Chris O’Grady is fit and available to make his Owls debut following last week’s move from Rochdale. Gary Madine and Clinton Morrison have both struggled in the Owls attack at the start of the season and O’Grady would add something fresh.
Midfielder Giles Coke could be set for a return. Coke played in the Carling Cup win over Blackpool but didn’t feature in the squad for Bournemouth.
Wednesday will still be without the services of Jermaine Johnson, who is set to be on the sidelines through injury for another few weeks yet.
Player to watch: Chris O’Grady
Should O’Grady pass a fitness test for the trip across the Pennines, Owls fans will be eager to see just what the former Rochdale man will add to the Owls’ attacking line-up.
Match Facts & Stats
Head-to-Head:
Bury wins: 25
ednesday wins: 35
raws: 16
Last Time Out:
Wednesday 1-0 Bury
Hillsborough, 10/08/2010
The sides last met at the start of last season in the League Cup and Wednesday edged it by the odd goal. Giles Coke grabbed the winner on the hour mark to send Wednesday through to the next round.
Next Fixtures:
v Notts County (H) – 20/08/11
