Lavery will offer extra option for Wednesday in attack

Sheffield Wednesday missed out on recruiting a loan striker yesterday, but head coach Stuart Gray feels like he already has a new signing.
Sheffield Wednesday's Caolan LaverySheffield Wednesday's Caolan Lavery
Sheffield Wednesday's Caolan Lavery

Twenty-one-year-old Caolan Lavery is pushing for his first competitive action of the campaign after suffering an ankle injury in pre-season.

The Northern Ireland Under-21 striker made his Hillsborough breakthrough last season, netting four goals in nine Championship starts.

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His doubles against Leeds United and Birmingham City last term mean he has scored more Hillsborough goals than Wednesday have managed all season. The Owls have netted three times in nine Championship games.

Owls boss Gray had been working to bring in a new striker before the closure of yesterday’s loan window, but failed to add competition to Atdhe Nuhiu and Stevie May.

With Gary Taylor-Fletcher having returned to Leicester City after the completion of his loan spell, Wednesday are hoping Canadian Lavery can be involved for tomorrow’s visit of Wigan to Hillsborough.

The striker netted twice in a Development Squad game in midweek and has impressed boss Gray.

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“Lavery has looked ever so sharp – if anything he’s like a new signing for us because we haven’t seen him since pre-season,” said Gray.

“He scored two goals for the Development Squad against Chesterfield earlier in the week and he’s trained (yesterday) with so much enthusiasm. He looks very sharp, which is encouraging.

“He probably needed that extra 90 minutes under his belt.”

Midfielder Giles Coke will miss the Wigan game – the 28-year-old also sat out last weekend’s 0-0 draw at Huddersfield Town – after being ruled out for three weeks with an Achilles injury.

Gray said: “I think Giles is going to be wearing a medical boot for three weeks now which is disappointing for him and us.

“We have had to monitor his fitness in training.

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“It wasn’t getting any better. If anything, it was getting slightly worse.

“With an Achilles tendon, you have to be very, very careful.”

Coke’s absence will be offset by the recent arrival of midfielder Lewis McGugan, who has joined on loan from Watford.

The Owls have not won in 11 matches, their last victory coming over two months ago, with a 1-0 troumph over Reading at Hillsborough.