- Owls searching for first win over Derby since 05/06 season
- Stuart Gray aiming to maintain the momentum
- A look back at recent clashes with the Rams
Derby County are the visitors this weekend and the Rams have proved formidable opponents in recent years.
The Owls’ last victory over Derby came back in the 2005/06 campaign when goals from Marcus Tudgay and Leon Best secured a 2-0 win at Pride Park.
This weekend, Best will line-up for Derby having penned a season-long loan deal at the iPro Stadium from Championship rivals Blackburn.
Since that success over eight years ago, the Owls have drawn five of the 12 games that have followed - one of which was in the 2007/08 FA Cup and the resulting penalty shootout at Hillsborough went the visitors’ way.
With that in mind, those of a blue and white persuasion will feel a win is overdue.
In that period, however, there have been a number of highlights to speak of.
Upon Wednesday’s return to the Championship in the 2012/13 season, a trip to Derby on the opening day saw the Owls fall 2-0 behind but Wednesday – backed by a capacity away following at Pride Park – fought back to rescue a dramatic point in the final minute.
Reda Johnson’s stooping header at the last salvaged a draw for Wednesday in a pulsating second tier opening fixture.
It was a similar story in the reverse fixture when goals from Michail Antonio and Miguel Llera restored parity after earlier strikes from Jeff Hendrick and Jamie Ward.
The Rams, though, took six points from Wednesday last season with a 3-0 win on home soil followed by a 1-0 win at Hillsborough after a special strike from Chelsea loanee Patrick Bamford.
But after making a positive start to the new term, optimism and confidence is high in the Owls’ camp and ahead of the clash with Derby on Saturday, head coach Stuart Gray has said he wants the good start to continue.
WATCH HIS VIDEO BELOW FROM THE OWLS’ YOUTUBE CHANNEL