Burton Albion manager Wayne Bowyer has called for increased effort from his squad ahead of their upcoming League One fixture against Plymouth Argyle. The Brewers face a challenging away match on Wednesday, with Bowyer acknowledging the difficulty posed by a confident Plymouth side, especially on home turf.

Bowyer expressed enthusiasm about the trip to Plymouth, highlighting his appreciation for the location and stadium atmosphere. “It’s a beautiful part of the world,” he said, noting the marina near the team’s hotel and praising the passionate home fans and the quality playing surface. The manager is eager to see how his team performs in what he described as a demanding environment against strong opposition.

The Brewers come into the match following a 1-1 draw and subsequent penalty shootout defeat to Nottingham Forest’s under-21 squad in a recent midweek friendly. Bowyer used the match to give crucial game time to several squad members. He highlighted the positives from the fixture, including extended minutes for midfielder Will Collar and full 90-minute action for defender Jason Sraha, who has faced significant challenges over the past year. Bowyer described Sraha’s appearance as a major psychological boost.

Young players Kain Adom and Mathew Dennis also gained valuable minutes, with Bowyer emphasizing the necessity of involving the entire squad to build match fitness. He acknowledged the unusual circumstance of still needing players to catch up on fitness this far into the season and indicated that some squad members may have to adapt by playing out of their usual positions.

One such example was Raphael, whom Bowyer originally signed with the intention of playing in a central role but had to deploy as a wing back recently due to injuries. The manager stressed that this positional change was only an emergency measure, prompted by a knock to striker Kyran Lofthouse.

Lofthouse himself showed encouraging signs in his recovery, having stopped limping following a recent injury. Bowyer stated that reducing the swelling remains a priority and that Lofthouse was not yet ready to return to action, though progress has been steady.

Among the squad setbacks, goalkeeper Joe Lewis suffered a broken toe during training last Friday after an accidental collision. Bowyer confirmed Lewis is expected to miss several weeks as a result.

With ongoing injury concerns and the challenge of bringing the squad up to full match fitness, Bowyer has made it clear his team will need to demonstrate resilience and adaptability in the weeks ahead as they seek to maintain momentum in League One.