Wednesday look to return to the top of division one when we face Lincoln at Hillsborough tomorrow.
After taking just two points out of a possible 12 from our previous four matches, victory against the mid-table Imps looks vital as the scramble for the two automatic promotion places nears the final straight.
Success would take us two points clear of current leaders Plymouth, the Pilgrims being in EFL Trophy final action this weekend and so meaning they will then have a game in hand on us. A share of the points would also take us to the top on goal difference but Wednesday will be thinking of nothing less than a win and a return to outright promotion form.
Third-placed Ipswich, four points behind us but having played a game less, travel to face play-off challengers Derby tomorrow and Barnsley in fourth, also with a match in hand and trailing us by seven points, entertain relegation-threatened Morecambe.
Moore said of the Lincoln clash: “We’re delighted to be in front of our home fans again and I ask them to keep on staying consistent with their vocal support.
“Lincoln are a solid team. We expect another tough hurdle and we’ve planned for them. We know we have to give a good account of ourselves.
“The performance from the team at Forest Green was unacceptable but the response from the players at Cheltenham was much better.
“The way we finished the game was good. I think there’s been three or four times this season where we’ve fought back from two goals down. It showed character, grit and determination to get back in those games.”
Jack Hunt suffered a muscular injury in the midweek draw at Cheltenham and Darren Moore confirmed at today’s pre-match press conference that he will be sidelined for a few weeks.
Better news on the injury front is that Dominic Iorfa has recovered from the injury sustained at Cheltenham and is fit for consideration for tomorrow’s squad.
Wednesday’s worrying loss of form in recent weeks has coincided with the absence of injured pair Josh Windass and George Byers and Moore said today: “With Josh’s injury that he sustained, the first thing we needed was for it to settle down. So he was given time away but he’s now back in the building and will go through a host of activities after that.
“I can’t really give out more until he’s been back and we’ve put him through a certain amount of exercises. He will be judged after that. Fingers crossed, the rest will have done him the world of good.
“We think George is going to be longer than Josh but I’m staying positive.
“We’re certainly hopeful he’ll return before end of season. He sustained the muscle injury at Portsmouth and we thought then was it wasn’t too bad. However, after going for a second scan, we’re thinking maybe there might have been something hidden in there that we’re trying to determine.”
The Owls boss also spoke after the Cheltenham game of how the likes of Dennis Adeniran, Tyreeq Bakinson and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru had all failed to grab the opportunity to stake their claim for a regular midfield slot since the absence of Byers and Windass, saying: “They’ve all stepped in and been given a chance to stake a claim. Have any of them grabbed the bull by the horns? No, not really.”
He added today: “They’ll be needed to the end of the season. What I’ve said to Dennis, Tyreeq and Fisayo is they don’t get to choose when and where they get to play. They have to perform and it’s a learning curve. It’s about being ready for the next one.”