Sheffield Wednesday's preparations for the new campaign continued with a 1-0 away at Championship outfit Scunthorpe United at Glanford Park.

Wednesday went down courtesy of a first half Jonathan Forte strike, who was arguably the only shining light in what was ultimately a dull encounter.

Owls manager Alan Irvine made five changes to the starting XI that drew 1-1 at Darlington midweek, fielding just two of his summer signings from the off in Paul Heffernan and Gary Teale.

Wednesday started brightly, with the lively Jermaine Johnson causing problems down the right flank.

Tommy Miller came close to opening the scoring just ten minutes in. Tommy Spurr's long throw was only half-cleared by the Iron defence, and the 31-year-old saw his full volley from the edge of the area fizz narrowly wide of the upright.

The hosts were then denied what look like a certain opener by a superb save by Richard O'Donnell. Garry Thompson rose well in the Wednesday area to meet a Jim McNulty cross from the left, but O'Donnell flung himself to his left to claw the ball out in front of an impressive away following.

But Nigel Adkins' men were not to be denied and broke the deadlock in the 18th minute. A mix up in the Wednesday midfield presented the ball at the feet of Forte, who danced his way around a couple of challenges, before firing a 25-yard drive low beyond O'Donnell's despairing dive.

And Scunthorpe looked set to double their lead moments later when Josh Wright dispossessed Lewis Buxton, before squaring the ball to Thompson, who was denied only by a superb sliding tackle from Spurr.

Wednesday needed a route back into the game, and almost got it when Marcus Tudgay wriggled away from his marker on the edge of the area, but his shot on the turn crashed back off the crossbar.

Irvine was forced into a substitution just before the interval when Mark Beevers went down with a head injury, and had to be replaced by Richard Hinds.

After the break, Scunthorpe continued on the front foot. Chris Dagnall, recently signed from Rochdale, raced away from the Owls midfield before releasing Forte, who saw his left-foot shot saved by the feet of O'Donnell.

Dagnall then fired wide after a marauding run down the left from Martyn Woolford, as Wednesday struggled to get a foothold in the game.

When Wednesday did threaten, it was through Johnson. Heffernan was inches away from connecting with the Jamaican's driven cross just before the hour mark.

The Owls had plenty of possession, but lacked a real killer touch and Irvine introduced Neil Mellor and Chris Sedgwick, in an attempt to bolster his side's attacking options.

Wednesday's only attempt of note came when Miller found a pocket of space before curling an effort wide of the left post.

Scunthorpe were busy making substitutions of their own, and a familiar face in Eddie Nolan, who spent time on loan at Hillsborough last season, entered proceedings for the Iron.

Forte was a real thorn in the Wednesday defence all afternoon, and stung the hands of O'Donnell from distance, before being replaced to a standing ovation from the home fans.

Wednesday huffed and puffed, but failed to create any chances in the remaining minutes, as the referee called time on a tepid affair.

Scunthorpe United: Murphy (Slocombe 77), Byrne (Nolan 68), McNulty, Mirfin (Raynes 77), Jones, Togwell, Woolford (Coleman 89), Forte (Grant 77), J. Wright (A. Wright 77), Thompson (Collins 68), Dagnall (Godden 86).

Unused substitutes: M. O'Connor, Hooper, Boyes, Williams.

Owls: O'Donnell, Buxton (Otsemobor 79), Beevers (Hinds 41), Purse, Spurr, Teale (Sedgwick 66), Miller (Palmer 70), Potter (J. O'Connor 70), Johnson (Boden 86), Heffernan (Mellor 57), Tudgay.

Unused substitutes: Jameson, Jones.