The Owls came through a good workout against Stockport on Tuesday at Edgeley Park, posting a comfortable 3-0 win over the Conference North side.
Michail Antonio sent the Owls on their way to victory inside the opening minute in the testimonial fixture for ex-Owls striker and current Stockport physio Rodger Wydle.
Martin Taylor’s header made it 2-0 on 12 minutes and the game was wrapped up on the stroke of half time when Chris Maguire scored with a well-struck penalty.
Dave Jones opted to field a strong starting XI to get the game underway, while the county side was made up largely of players from the club’s 2008 promotion-winning season.
There were other familiar faces included in the Stockport side that begun the game with ex-Owls Carlton Palmer and Adam Proudlock in the line-up.
Prior to kick off, there were warm welcomes for players and staff alike who have served County well down the years, including one for Owls boss Jones who led Stockport to promotion to the first division as manager in 1997.
And it was Jones’ side who started the game immediately on the front foot with Antonio scoring just 43 seconds into the contest.
Jacques Maghoma’s cross was miss-judged by Keith Briggs and Antonio punished the defender from ten yards, striking the ball past Conrad Logan and into the back of the net off the far post.
The Owls looked dangerous on the break and Logan was called into action twice within the space of a few minutes.
The current Leicester goalkeeper stood tall to deny Maghoma as the pacey winger raced through on goal one-on-one, and then made a smart save with his feet from Antonio’s low strike.
Wednesday did find their second goal after 12 minutes when Taylor planted a firm header past Logan from Rhys McCabe’s free kick on the edge of the area.
James Spencer replaced Logan between the sticks for Stockport and made an outstanding save in his first contribution.
Antonio fed a low ball across goal for Maghoma but Spencer made a stunning stop to thwart the ex-Burton man from close range.
Wednesday were awarded a penalty on the stroke of half time when Maghoma was brought down by Spencer after a superb mazy run into the box.
Maguire made no mistake from 12 yards finding the top corner as referee Uriah Rennie called time on the first half.
Stockport, as predicted, fielded their current crop of players after the break, as Wednesday made four further changes with Gary Madine, Paul Corry, Miguel Llera and David Prutton introduced to the action.
The early exchanges of the second period were more competitive, as the home side aimed to impress against their Championship opponents.
The closest either side came to breaking the second half deadlock went to Wednesday but Madine’s close-range strike from Danny Mayor’s centre was ruled offside after hitting the back of the net.
Bright Owls’ prospect Cameron Dawson made a fine save with his feet to prevent County striker Phil Jevons from reducing the deficit before Llera shuck the frame of the goal with his free kick from 20 yards.
Chris Waddle and David Hirst came on for their cameo appearances with 15 minutes left on the clock and the latter almost added a fourth goal for Wednesday but struck over the bar from eight yards from Madine’s clever lay-off.
Stockport (FIRST HALF): Logan (Spencer 29), Briggs (Gibb 29), griffin, C Palmer, Clare (McNulty 18), McSweeney (Poole 29), Perkins (Gleeson 26), Dicker, Proudlock (Moore 26), Dickinson (Beckett 39), Rowe (Hamshaw 29)
Stockport (SECOND HALF): Ormson, Fagbola, Tunnicliffe, Charnock, Crainey, Hand, Jacobs, O’Halloran, Howard, Jevons, Dennis
Owls: Davis (Dawson 52), Buxton (Corry 46), Taylor, Gardner (Llera 46), Floro, Coke (Semedo 29), McCabe (Prutton 46), Antonio (Mayor 34) (Waddle 74), Maghoma (Lavery 45) (Hirst 74) , Maguire (Madine 46) (Dieseruvwe 80), L Palmer