Darren Moore laments 'bitter blow' as versatile Sheffield Wednesday player Callum Paterson is ruled out for an extended spell

The Scot proved the matchwinner in last weekend's top-of-the-table clash with Plymouth Argyle, netting the only goal of the game on seven minutes in front of a bumper 33,500 crowd - on an afternoon when Wednesday replaced their Devon visitors at the top of League One.The one downer saw the ex-Heart of Midlothian and Cardiff City player went off with a muscular injury three minutes before the hour-mark of the game and after assessment, it has been revealed that the issue will keep him out for a fair period of time.

It is an untimely development for the Owls and Paterson, who is out of contract in the summer with the Hillsborough outfit rejecting a six-figure offer from former club Hearts in the winter window.

Moore, whose side face another huge promotion encounter at Ipswich Town on Saturday, said: "Callum Paterson is going to be a long-term injury; a muscular injury.

"We don't anticipate having him around for a large number of weeks. We think potentially that if he does come back, it will be towards the latter part of the season if at all.

"That will be dependent upon his rehabilitation. It's a bitter blow for us to be fair.

"It turned out with the scan results that it would be a lengthy lay-off.

"We don't want to lose any of our players, but certainly with Callum, we feel that to lose him as he played in so many variety of positions that it's a bitter one to swallow.

"He's over to the medical team now and we will see what they can do with him, if at all anything."

Better news could see Reece James make his return at Portman Road.

The defender was stretchered off with an ankle injury in the game at Wycombe last month.

Moore continued: "I'd put Reece in the category stage of '50-50'. He's ahead of the game' and has trained for the last few days and is doing really well."