Owls must make home form count again

Last updated : 03 February 2012 By C. Morris

Sheffield Wednesday host Yeovil at Hillsborough on Saturday as they look to put pressure on their promotion rivals at the top of League One. The first half of the season saw the Owls in dominant form at home but in the last 4 league matches at Hillsborough Gary Megson’s side have only collected 5 points and this must improve if automatic promotion is to be achieved. 

Megson has a near fully fit squad to choose from with Daniel Jones the only likely absentee due to a calf injury. The Owls boss selected a solid side to provide a platform in the first half at MK Dons in midweek before making more attacking changes in the 2nd half in a bid to take all three points.

With the emphasis on the Owls to take the game to their opponents at Hillsborough a more attacking line up may be selected from the start with the likes of Jermaine Johnson, Chris Lines and new loan signing John Bostock all in contention. Though it is unlikely that all three will start it wouldn’t be a surprise to see two of them promoted from the bench for this clash.

Yeovil make the trip north without the services of centre-back Paul Huntington. The tall defender, who scored for the Glovers at Hillsborough last season, will serve a suspension following his red card against Preston last time out.

Huntington could be replaced by former Wednesday defender Richard Hinds who joined Yeovil during the week and is in line to make his debut against his old club.

Former Owls favourite Steven MacLean is likely to be in the Yeovil scored but will probably have to settle for a place on the bench as he did last weekend during their 2-1 win overPreston.

Despite Wednesday’s recent home dip they have still only lost once at Hillsborough this season and they have only los 2 of their last 17 matches in all competitions.

Yeovil have been in indifferent form, winning 2 and losing 2 of their last 5 games. They were thumped 4-0 at Sheffield United last month and have won just one away league game in 13 attempts, losing 5 of them.

The two sides have only ever met twice at Hillsborough with both games ending in draws. Last season this fixture finished in a 2-2 draw despite Yeovil being reduced to 9 men in the 2nd half. Giles Coke missed a retaken penalty for the Owls.

Wednesday won at Yeovil earlier in the season 3-2 with one of the home sides goals being hotly disputed when striker Kieran Agard closed down Owls keeper Richard O’Donnell after the Glovers were supposed to concede possession back to the visitors following a break in play.