Sheffield Wednesday: Adam Reach issues Owls warning

Wednesday officials are expecting over 25,000 fans to flock to Hillsborough for the South Yorkshire derby.

And club-record buy Reach is confident the Owls will put in a strong showing and return to winning ways following Saturday’s away defeat to high-flying Reading.

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“We have to play the game and not the occasion,” Reach told The Star.

“It’s a derby but we are not going to be playing in front of 80,000 or anything. Hillsborough will be packed but we just need to concentrate on our own game.

“There’s nothing more than three points up for grabs. It’s not do or die but the three points are important and we will try our best. I’m sure if we play anywhere near as well as we can we will win.”

Wednesday will fancy their chances of picking up a positive result, having won six of their nine fixtures on home soil this season.

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Reach said: “It’s always nice to come back and play at home in front of your own fans. The support has been good. They have high expectations but that’s only natural. It’s our job to deliver for them.

“I look back at the Bristol City and Forest games where we were behind and the fans really got behind us and picked us up. To use a cliche, they can be the 12th man and really push the players on and help us get the result.

“I fully expect them to be behind us against Barnsley and hopefully we will deliver with a good performance and three points.”

There is a big gap between seventh-placed Owls and the Championship’s automatic promotion spots, but left-sided player Reach feels the team can still secure a top-two finish.

“We’re in a good position with two home games coming up,” he said. “They are two winnable games as well. Six points will put us right back in there.

“It doesn’t matter where you are in the table right now. It matters in May and I’m sure we will be up there.

“The Championship table can change in four or five days.

“We need to concentrate on ourselves, try our best and put in good performances.”

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