As expected, City boss Gary Johnson made just one change from the side which started at Barnsley, Cole Skuse starting at right wing-back in place of the injured Bradley Orr.

But Wednesday manager Brian Laws had no such luxury after a virus swept through Hillsborough, reducing the options available to him. Centre-backs Darren Purse and Mark Beevers were deemed too ill to travel, Michael Gray was sidelined by a hamstring strain and Richard Wood was omitted altogether after being placed on the transfer list.

Laws persuaded the Football League to hurry through the registration of youth team players Nick Wood, Nathan Modest and Max Wragg in order that they could supplement a substitutes’ bench decimated by injury and illness.

Speaking prior to kick-off, manager Johnson challenged his in-form team to close the gap on Championship leaders Newcastle United and third-placed Cardiff, neither of whom were in action.

“We have to raise the bar and aim for the top two,” declared the Londoner. “If we strive for that, then it will help us stay in the play-off places at the very least.”

City (3-5-2): Gerken; Carey, McCombe, Nyatanga; Skuse, Elliott, Johnson, Sno, McAllister; Haynes, Maynard.

Wednesday(4-4-2): Grant; Spurr, Hinds, Simek, Buxton; Johnson, O’Connor, Potter, Miller; Tudgay, Varney.

Referee: Fred Graham (Essex)