Timing of big return can be a blessing as Sheffield Wednesday begin to accept likelihood of play-off berth

Tuesday evening’s results elsewhere mean the Owls require one or both of Plymouth Argyle and Ipswich Town to reverse on their form of recent weeks and take no more than one point from their last two remaining fixtures – while Wednesday focus on taking maximum points from matches at Shrewsbury Town and at home to Derby County.

But as the stages of grief very slowly moves somewhere towards acceptance – in the fanbase if not necessarily in the walls of Middlewood Road – there can be solace in the growing of a squad back to some sort of strength after a nightmare spell with injury.

There is confidence that star man Josh Windass will return – if not this weekend then ahead of the play-offs – while Michael Ihiekwe’s jump back in to contention for a starting spot took a giant leap with a substitute appearance in the weekend’s win over Exeter City.

While much of the focus sits on Windass and the re-energising attacking threat he poses – one that can revolutionise a side that has looked short on ideas in several games in the last couple of months – it is the reintegration of Ihiekwe that can inject a sense of poise to Wednesday’s defence.

His Grecians return ended a 154-day wait for first team action for a senior player whose experience was a mainstay across the first months of the campaign.

Speaking on Ihiekwe’s reaction to his return, Owls boss Darren Moore told The Star of the impact he hopes the 30-year-old can make.

Moore said: “He came into the changing room at the end of the game and said 'How nice was that? Thank you gaffer, I loved every minute of it.'

“I thought the time he spent on the pitch was great, he was flawless, his headers were spot on his positional sense was good and that allows him to make it look easy because his positional sense was so good.

“But he brings a calmness to the defence which is really good and I'm pleased to have him back, it's like a new signing.”

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