Sheffield Wednesday: Reach Up! Adam's still aiming for the top two with Owls

Confidence is high in the Owls camp after their 1-0 win over Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Monday and Reach sees that victory as a sign that the distance between the top two of Brighton and Rafa Benitez’s side could be bridged.

The 23 year-old says there remains a belief in the squad that a play-off place shouldn’t be the height of their ambitions and added that the arrival of Callum McManaman in a loan switch from West Brom this week can help to bolster their challenge nearer the top of the table.

“I think in the next couple of weeks the gap between the top two and other teams will become smaller, that’s our aim,” said Reach.

“We have always believed we are good enough to finish in the top two, we just need to go out there and prove it now.”

McMananaman’s move to Hillsborough provides Reach with competition as the former Wigan Athletic winger can operate on either flank.

Rather than see that as a threat, Reach has welcomed the addition.

“Callum has come in already and you can see what he can do,” he said.

“He is very attack-minded, and will cause defences a lot of problems in the next few months.

“It’s more competition for me, but that can only benefit you. You always have to keep trying to improve and show the manager what you can do.

“If we can keep bolstering our squad, make it as strong as we can, I am sure we will have enough to challenge that top two.”

Wednesday head to Deepdale to take on Preston North End today hoping to end 2016 on a huge high.

The two sides met just a few weeks ago at Hillsborough when the Owls narrowly came out on top in a match that saw Fernando Forestieri sent off before Preston’s Eoin Doyle and Jermaine Beckford were also red-carded for fighting with each other in the final stages.

It was a memorable game, possibly for all the wrong reasons, and Reach isn’t expecting this one to be quite so incident-packed.

“It’s strange to be playing them twice in the same month,” he added. “I doubt there will as much carnage and drama as there was at Hillsborough.

But it will be another tough game, although if we play anywhere near as well we did at St James’ Park, I think we will come away with another away victory. They suffered a heavy result against Leeds, so they will be looking to bounce back.”