Harry Gray started on the right flank after returning to Sheffield Wednesday’s starting XI against Cambridge United.

Sheffield Wednesday interim manager Matt Hamshaw said his desire to get more crosses into the penalty area was the reason behind his decision to start Harry Gray on the right flank for Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw against Cambridge United at Hillsborough.

After being left out of the matchday squad for Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Doncaster Rovers, Gray was recalled to the squad and restored to the starting line-up, taking up residency on the right wing.

Having played the bulk of his minutes on the left so far this season, it was the first time the Leeds United loanee had started on the right since Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat to Bradford City in August. He showed flashes of his ability, frequently drifting inside and attempting to get on the end of crosses from the opposite flank.

Fellow loanee Davis Keillor-Dunn started on the left but was given the license to roam, meaning that Reece James provided the bulk of Wednesday’s attacking threat down that flank. Keillor-Dunn moved into a different role following Callum Slattery’s return from suspension.

Although Gray, Slattery and Keillor-Dunn regularly interchanged positions in an effort to support frontman Mason Burstow, who opened the scoring for the Owls, Hamshaw explained that his decision to move Gray to the right was a tactical ploy aimed at getting more balls into the penalty area.

“I think Harry can play on the right, he can play on the left and he can play as a No.10,” Hamshaw told The Star. “I just felt like Davis coming off left did give us a bit more.

“I think Slatts through middle allowed us to go and press through a little bit more. We obviously started in a 4-2-3-1 and kind of changed it as we went along. We went with two strikers, but there's flexibility to play all systems and shapes with the personnel we've got.

“So, yes, that was a real reason. I felt like he got into good positions in the first half. I feel like we need to put more crosses in the box. So, I felt having a right-footer going on the outside and putting crosses in the box [was what we needed].

“I think we saw that quite a lot tonight, but we need to be more consistent to get on the end of them.”