Owls add keeper to their ranks as they get back to winning ways

Last updated : 31 December 2011 By C. Morris

Sheffield Wednesday got their promotion push back on track on New Years Eve thanks to an impressive 2-0 win at Preston North End and supporters received a further boost with the news that goalkeeper Stephen Bywater will be returning to Hillsborough.

Gary Megson confirmed in an interview with BBC radio Sheffield that Bywater is coming back to S6 on a free transfer under a contract that will run until the end of the current season. The former Derby goalkeeper recently played 12 games for the Owls in an emergency loan spell that saw the side lose just once with him between the sticks.

Experienced 1st choice goalkeeper Nicky Weaver made a successful return from a long spell out injured in the victory at Preston and the two will provide stern competition for each other for the starting place in the team.

Young goalkeeper Richard O’Donnell appears to have plenty of potential but lacks the experience and authority that the team may need at this moment in time and it may be that he could benefit from a loan move away from Hillsborough for the remainder of the season.

1st half goals from Danny Batth and Ben Marshall put the Owls in command at Deepdale and they never really looked like letting the points slip as they had done late on in previous matches. In fact it was Wednesday who created more chances in the second half and they could have made the margin of victory more comfortable.

The Owls, who are unbeaten at home this season, now have 3 successive home league games as well as the F.A. Cup tie with West Ham as they look to try and regain a place in the top 2 positions in League One.