SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY today signed goalkeeper Paul Heald on loan from fellow First Division side Wimbledon.

The 33-year-old is eligible to play in tonight's Worthington Cup semi-final second-leg match against Blackburn.

The Owls are suffering a goalkeeping crisis ahead of the match, with first-choice goalkeeper Kevin Pressman out with an ankle injury, deputy Chris Stringer undergoing a knee operation on Friday and third-choice Sean Roberts also carrying a knee injury.

Heald has made over 200 league appearances in his career, which began as an apprentice at Sheffield United.

Gerald Sibon will renew his partnership with Efan Ekoku up front for tonight's return of the semi-final after missing the 2-1 first-leg defeat at Hillsborough through suspension.

With Sibon it is a case of expect the unexpected, as Yorath said: "You probably see his faults more than the good things he does because he is frustrating.

"People say to me it must be difficult working with him and it does get frustrating just because of some of the things he tries to do.

"You can't teach him the simple things and when you're at the wrong end of the table you need him to do that for the team to do well.

"But I guess it's part of his continental upbringing. It's why I don't get mad with him. I've just come to expect whatever I get and I would say this game was tailor made for him.

"The fans are now with him and maybe that has helped him get over his insecurities because everybody likes to be loved.

"But the fact he cares about the team and the club has won the fans over more than anything else."