'Imposing' David Agbontohoma's shock Sheffield Wednesday selection explained

That’s according to Owls manager Darren Moore, who speaking after the clash revealed he’s been on a scouting mission to check him out in what is something of a defensive crisis in terms of numbers at the back.

Liam Palmer and Marvin Johnson have acted as emergency centre-halves alongside Chey Dunkley in a successful but makeshift back three and the trio were rested for the visit of Harrogate after a gruelling clean sheet effort in Sunday’s FA Cup draw with Plymouth Argyle.

Ciaran Brennan, back from a loan at Notts County, slotted in alongside Agbontohoma with Jaden Brown – ordinarily a wing-back.

“I thought it was right,” Moore said on the selection. “I went to watch the under-23s on Monday and got good eyes on him.

“We had a look on the Sunday with Liam Palmer, Chey Dunkley and Marvin Johnson having played the games, I thought it would be wrong to push a quick turnaround on them and sometimes you want to put these younger players in a situation.

“We did that tonight and they all came through that with flying colours. As the game went on you could see them getting better and better.

“There were some hairy moments with them but they'd just been put together for the first time and they stood up and were counted tonight. They can feel happy with this evening's showing.”

On the 20-year-old Agbonotohoma, a former Southampton starlet signed in the summer ahead of Stoke City, Moore said he had been impressed with what he’d seen.

The youngster made four clearances and six interceptions in the match and boasted a passing accuracy of 85.5 per cent.

“Tonight's 90 minutes will have done him the world of good,” Moore said.

“He's an imposing figure and aerially tonight I thought he was excellent, he didn't lose much.

“He has wonderful mobility and is really calm and composed on the ball. He could have used the ball a lot quicker and better but overall for him to step into a game like that, it will have done him the world of good for his career.”