Match preview: Cheltenham v Wednesday

29 March 2023

Cheltenham v Wednesday
Wednesday 29 March
7:45pm
League One
Completely-Suzuki Stadium

THE MATCH

Wednesday head back to Gloucestershire this evening for the rearranged clash with Cheltenham.

It’s a fixture that has been moved twice this season, firstly to accommodate our Emirates FA Cup clash with Newcastle in early January and then following a postponement later that month due to a frozen pitch.

The Robins are 17th in the table but have hit a strong patch of form in the third tier.

Three wins and a draw from their last four outings have seen Wade Elliott’s side distance themselves from any relegation danger.

Wednesday could go top of the division with victory tonight but will need to respond after back-to-back defeats to Barnsley and Forest Green Rovers.

The reverse fixture at Hillsborough finished 3-0 to the Owls in early October.

TEAM NEWS

Wednesday: There were no fresh injury or suspension concerns from Sunday’s loss at the New Lawn.

Jack Hunt, Akin Famewo and Will Vaulks came on from the bench against Forest Green and will be in contention for a start this evening.

George Byers (muscle) and Josh Windass (ankle) will miss out. Mallik Wilks trained last week but the Forest Green clash came too soon.

Cheltenham: Striker Alfie May has been in standout form of late with four goals from his last four appearances. The hitman will be one to watch this evening with 15 goals so far this season and now the club’s all-time record EFL scorer.

Midfielder Elliot Bonds is on international duty with Guyana which could pave the way for Luton loanee Glen Rea to be handed a starting shirt.

Ryan Jackson (hamstring) will be assessed.

TICKET NEWS

Tickets for this fixture have sold out to visiting supporters.

Our full allocation of 1,511 has been snapped up.

OFFICIALS

Referee – Paul Howard
Assistant Referee – Darren Wilding
Assistant Referee – Daniel Flynn
Fourth Official – Robert Lewis

iFOLLOW

As a displaced midweek fixture, our trip to Cheltenham this evening will be streamed exclusively live on iFollow for supporters in the UK.

Live coverage is also available to overseas subscribers.

Get your match passes HERE, priced £10.

SOCIAL MEDIA

The hashtag for the game is #CHESHW

Our official Twitter account @swfc will provide a blow-by-blow text update of the game, team news at 6:45pm and all the key updates from Gloucestershire.

Our official Instagram @swfcofficial will also keep you up to date on the latest events, with content uploaded to the story throughout the matchday.

Why not also follow us on Facebook and Tik Tok!

Subscribe and turn on notifications from our YouTube channel, where you’ll find extended match highlights.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

SUPPORTER CONDUCT

Following anti-social behaviour incidents this season, we are reinforcing the importance of all supporters staying within EFL Ground Regulations, which can be found HERE.

Under the banner of ‘Love Football. Protect The Game’ the FA, Premier League and EFL have together introduced new measures and stronger sanctions across the game to tackle the increased anti-social, discriminatory and criminal behaviours seen within football grounds.

Find out more HERE.

INCLUSIVITY WITH WEDNESDAY

Sheffield Wednesday are committed to fostering a fully inclusive matchday environment for all supporters, home and away. We subscribe absolutely to the EFL Code of Practice for Inclusion and Anti-Discrimination.

Find out more HERE.

Match Previews

Match Reports

Report | Cheltenham 2-2 Wednesday

29 March 2023

Wednesday forged a fine comeback to earn a 2-2 draw in a League One thriller played in torrential rain at Cheltenham.

The Owls were under the cosh and 2-0 down midway through the second half following quickfire Aidan Keena and Alfie May goals.

But Darren Moore’s men recovered to stun the Robins and might have won it right at the last when Will Vaulks hit the woodwork after Aden Flint and Lee Gregory had levelled the score.

The points were shared but Wednesday’s promotion ambitions stirred into life after back-to-back defeats for the first time this season.

Challenging conditions for much of the evening failed to undermine an all-action encounter, with a total of 34 shots from both sides.

Moore elected to recall David Stockdale, who was soon in the thick of things, diving acrobatically to push a sweet May hit from distance wide.

The Robins’ dangerman thrashed a volley just past the post before Wednesday settled into the contest and enjoyed long bouts of possession punctuated by a flurry of corners.

Cheltenham, though, looked dangerous when venturing into the final third, as evidenced 20 minutes in when Stockdale had to spring across his goal to keep out a Keena snapshot.

May brought out the best of Stockdale moments later from a curling drive on the angle but Wednesday responded with a Barry Bannan threaded pass in the box that saw a handball appeal against Caleb Taylor waved away.

Bannan had Luke Southwood concerned with a dipping free kick that bent off target, then the Cheltenham keeper superbly tipped a Vaulks measured effort from 25 yards over the top to close a frantic first half.

The driving rain subsided for the second period but not the talking points as Southwood stopped a Michael Smith header from a terrific Reece James cross.

Back came the hosts and James hooked clear after a mini scramble in the area but Cheltenham broke the deadlock on 62 minutes.

Will Ferry delivered a dangerous cross from the left that deflected into the path of Keena, who swept past Stockdale into the roof of the net.

It went from bad to worse for the Owls eight minutes later when Taylor Perry unleashed from range and Stockdale saved well but May was on hand to slot the rebound in.

Then came the comeback and the deficit was halved on 76 minutes. Bannan sent over an inviting set piece and Flint climbed high to bury a downward header past Southwood.

That set up a grandstand finish and it was all Wednesday - Gregory smashed over the crossbar after creating space in the area before substitute Mallik Wilks glanced a James feed wide.

But the late pressure paid dividends as Wednesday fashioned what could prove a crucial equaliser.

Smith motored down the right and put an expert ball right into the corridor of uncertainty, where Gregory advanced to stab home.

Still there was time for two more chances as Wednesday piled forward – first Dennis Adeniran lifted over from 10 yards before Vaulks smashed a long-ranger against the post that proved the final act of a pulsating end-to-end clash.

Wednesday: Stockdale, Hunt (Adeniran 90), Iorfa (Flint 64), Palmer, James, Johnson, Vaulks, Bannan, Bakinson (Wilks 73), Gregory, Smith