Wednesday look to bite back against Terriers on Tuesday

Last updated : 02 November 2010 By C. Morris

Sheffield Wednesday will be hoping to put Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Charlton Athletic behind them this evening when they face in form Huddersfield Town at Hillsborough.

The Owls will welcome skipper Darren Purse back to the side after he missed the weekend fixture due to a one match suspension. Purse is likely to replace Tommy Spurr at centre back but with Jon Otsemobor set to serve the final game of his 3 match ban Lewis Buxton is expected to continue at right-back.

Jamaican winger Jermaine Johnson may be pushing for a first start of the season after two recent substitute appearances and the sot shy Owls may make changes in attack. Only one team in the top half of League One have scored fewer goals than Wednesday so far this season.

Whilst the Owls have an almost clean bill of health as far as injuries are concerned Huddersfield are without a number of first team players. Goalkeeper Alex Smithies has a thigh injury, former Sheffield United full-back Gary Naysmith has a foot injury and goal scoring midfielder Gary Roberts has a broken arm.

Striker Lee Novak has a hamstring problem and the Terriers attacking options are further hindered by a suspension foe Alan Lee after his dismissal at the weekend. On-loan Nottingham Forest forward Joe Garner could come into the team alongside the prolific Jordan Rhodes.

The Owls defeat at The Valley was their first loss in 7 fixtures in all competitions but their home form in the league has not been great, picking up just 5 points from their last 5 matches at Hillsborough.

Huddersfield are sitting pretty in 2nd place in the division having won 3 of their last four in the league. They have won 3 and lost 4 on their travels in League One so far and suffered defeat at Plymouth in their last away match.

The two sides last met in 2005 when the Terriers beat the Owls 1-0 at the Galpharm Stadium. The Owls won the fixture at Hillsborough earlier in the 2004/05 season thanks to a solitary goal from Steve MacLean.

Historically Wednesday have the upper hand in home games against Huddersfield having won 10 and lost 5 of the 20 competitive fixtures held in Sheffield.