The Owls filled a nine-day gap between league fixtures with a training exercise against Doncaster Rovers at the Eco-Power Stadium.
Darren Moore described a similar test against Huddersfield earlier this month as a ‘bounce game’, giving first team players some crucial match minutes amongst a cluster of Under-21 regulars.
George Byers played 60 minutes of the Rovers outing, his first taste of action since picking up an injury in late October.
There were also vital runouts for other recently returned absentees Dennis Adeniran and Akin Famewo, with both playing 70 minutes.
60 minutes under the belt today for George Byers in our friendly at Doncaster 🦉🔵⚪️#swfc pic.twitter.com/nLZ5StKp6M
— Sheffield Wednesday (@swfc) December 21, 2022
Wednesday took the lead just before the half-hour mark, Adeniran feeding a low ball across the Rovers box where Alex Mighten was lurking at the back post to smash home.
Mallik Wilks also found the net from close range after he met a Rio Shipston corner and Wednesday went into the break two goals to the good.
Kieran Agard scored a late penalty for Rovers to see the final score finish 2-1, but more important were the minutes in the Owls’ legs ahead of our Boxing Day trip to Fleetwood.
Wednesday: Charles, Hunt (Phuthi 70), Agbontohoma, Famewo (Sesay 70), Brown (Adetoro 70), Adeniran (Trialist 70), Byers (Dunn 60), Shipston (Trueman 45), Mighten (Davidson 70), Wilks (Thornton 70), Cadamarteri (Bradford 70)