Owls Vs Forest: Team news

Last updated : 12 September 2009 By C. Morris

Nottingham Forest make the short trip to Hillsborough from the East Midlands on Saturday as the Owls look to build on what has an encouraging start to the league season, currently sitting in 8th place in the Coca Cola Championship table.

Wednesday should be able to field Michael Gray in midfield after he limped out of the win at Plymouth last time out in the first half. If Gray is passed fit then the Owls may well name an unchanged starting 11 from the one that took the field at home park, if not then Sean McAllister and Tommy Miller will be in contention for the midfield berth.

Striker Leon Clarke could make the bench but with a run of three games in less than a week it is more likely that he may be held back at this stage.

Francis Jeffers serves the second of his three-match suspension but his recent conduct and performances mean that he would be unlikely to feature anyway at this stage given the other options available.

The visitors could have defender Kelvin Wilson back in contention after he came through two recent reserve fixtures but the game could come too soon for fellow defender Joel Lynch.

Forest will be without injury victims James Perch and Julian Bennett but are not short of options in attack with the likes of Dexter Blackstock, Nathan Tyson, Rob Earnshaw, Joe Garner, Dele Adebola and David McGoldrick at their disposal.

Wednesday were beaten when the two teams met last at the City Ground last season but did win the previous encounter at Hillsborough thanks to a deflected goal from Etienne Esajas.

The Owls have one win and a draw from their two home league fixtures this season whilst Forest have drawn both of their away games and picked up their first league win of the campaign against local rivals derby at home last time out.

Wednesday suffered in embarrassing 7-1 home defeat to Forest in the Premier League in 1995 and have since won five and lost three of the 8 fixtures between the two sides at Hillsborough.