Preview: Owls v Yeovil Town

DEFEAT isn't an option for Wednesday and boss Alan Irvine as the Owls look to bounce back from a 4-0 drubbing at Leyton Orient with a convincing victory against Yeovil at Hillsborough on Tuesday night.

Three points are a must for the Owls after Wednesdayites were scathing in their attacks of the manager and the team for their performance at Brisbane Road on Saturday, which sent Wednesday plummeting down to 12th in the npower League One table.

Irvine's men will be favourites to do just that against a Yeovil side they've already beaten in the away fixture earlier this season, but it won't be a stroll in the park - especially if the breakthrough doesn't come early on.

Owls captain Nicky Weaver told the Sheffield Star:

'There are a lot of points to play for. We can't just keep saying that. We have to start winning games.

'We need to get back to basics, defend better at set pieces.

'It's a must-win game on Tuesday, a great opportunity. We have to go out there and show the fans we want to win and put things right.'

Owls boss Alan Irvine must surely be pondering big changes to the side that got beat 4-0 at Leyton Orient on Saturday.

But he won't have right-back Lewis Buxton and midfielder Tommy Miller available for selection, with both players sidelined with hamstring injuries picked up in the weekend loss in London.

Neil Mellor could be set to return to the starting line-up after Irvine plumped for new signing Gary Madine in attack alongside Clinton Morrison, with little success.

Another new arrival, Mark Reynolds, could be in-line for a debut after being left out of the squad for the trip to Orient.

Wednesday's brittle back-line was torn to shreds on Saturday and Reynolds is expected to get the nod to be included in the back four, while Mark Beevers could also be recalled.

If the Owls new arrival gets his debut in the famous blue and white stripes, the Hillsborough faithful will be keen to see if he can improve a defence that has been struggling all season. He'll also have a bit of pressure on his shoulders if things don't start too swimmingly.

Yeovil will arrive in S6 on the back of a 1-0 home defeat and firmly in the middle of a relegation battle.

The Owls defeated Town at Huish Park in the return leg but Yeovil will be keen to cause a shock at Hillsborough and heap more pressure on Alan Irvine, as well as give their survival hopes a major boost.

They'll be without Jean-Paul Kalala, who serves the final game of a four-match suspension, while defender Craig Alcock could miss out after suffering a back injury.

Yeovil will need striker Bowditch to be on top form if they're to get anything from the trip to S6. Wednesday's defence has been fragile in recent weeks and Bowditch will only be too aware of the fact.

Form:

Wednesday: L-D-W-L-L

Yeovil: L-W-W-W-D

Head-To-Head:

Wednesday wins: 2

Yeovil wins: 0

Draws: 1

Last Time Out:

Yeovil 0-2 Wednesday

Huish Park, 16/10/10

Wednesday secured the three points the last time the sides met, in the reverse fixture last October. It took the Owls until the 72nd minute to break the deadlock though, through a Jermaine Johnson wonder-strike, before Tommy Miller wrapped it up with six minutes to go from the penalty spot.

v Hereford United (H, FA Cup) - 29/01/10

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