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Jeffers on the brink
FRANCIS Jeffers has stepped up his challenge for a Wednesday place and could make his first senior start in nine months at Plymouth on Saturday.
Manager Brian Laws admits that he is pondering a recall for the striker who has been given a gradual build-up as a substitute.
Laws was pleased with the 27-year-old's contribution when he played for the last quarter of an hour in the 1-0 win against Forest - his third recent outing from the bench..
The Owls manager admits that Jeffers is under more serious consideration than ever after proving that he has completed his long haul back to fitness following a serious ankle injury.
"You can see that Franny is getting sharper and sharper every time we put him on," said Laws.
"He's itching to start. We're thinking about him for Saturday. Even in that 15 minutes on Tuesday his movement and speed of thought were excellent. He can change a game.
"He's got a chance for Saturday.
"I'm not giving the team away but he's right at the front of my thoughts. Before that decision, we have to evaluate our strengths and weaknesses and decide what's best for the team as a whole."
Laws must decide whether to stick with the 4-5-1 formation that he has tended to favour for away games and was used in the last Saturday's 2-1 victory at Charlton. If he does, this could lessen the chances of a Jeffers comeback.
But it appears that the Owls manager is also considering a more adventurous line-up: "We've already got six points in a week...anything else would be a bonus; maybe we can go to Plymouth with a more open approach and maybe take the game to them more."
It will be the last chance to give Jeffers a match before the Sheffield derby, which will be the first game back after fortnight's international break.
Laws likes to keep the opposition guessing and will not announce his line-up until Saturday.
A young Wednesday reserves side lost 3-2 to Macclesfield at Moss Rose yesterday. The game that was almost called off because of waterlogging. The Owls scorers were Charlie Tunnard and Rocky Lekaj.
SPURR COMES OF AGE FOR OWLS ON TWO COUNTS:
see the Green'Un newspaper, available from Saturday night for the full story
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Weather for Sheffield
Friday 10 February 2012
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Temperature: -6 C to 0 C
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