Sligo travel with good attitude

SOCCER:IT MAY not be the approach recommended in manuals for managers playing away in Europe, but Paul Cook insists his side will attempt to win this evening's Europa League third qualifying round game in Ukraine.

“It’s been a tough journey, it’s hot and they’re a good side, but that’s European football and we’re looking forward to it,” he said yesterday.

“The lads are in good shape, and while we don’t know as much about them as we’d like to, we’re well prepared. Obviously it’ll be tough and I’m not one to say what would be a good result now, but I think we only have one way of playing and that’s to try to win the game.

“If, having done that, we get a draw, then yeah, I’m sure we’d be happy with that.”

Against a side that has been playing well and scoring lots of goals in recent weeks, a draw would be a good result indeed.

Young strikers Roman Bezus and Ahmed Januzi have seven between them in five games this season, and the comfortable defeats home and away of Glentoran in the last round indicates the scale of the challenge that awaits Rovers.

The Irish side, though, come into the game on a decent run of form themselves; Saturday’s goalless draw with St Patrick’s Athletic was their ninth clean sheet on the trot.

“A lot of league titles are won on the back of solid defences,” says striker Raffaele Cretaro.

“We’ve got that, a good midfield and Eoin Doyle, Blinks (Matthew Blinkhorn) and myself all looking to chip in with the goals. And these European games have come at a good enough time. We’re playing well at the moment.

“They (Vorskla) are a good side,” he adds. “They played Glentoran and looked impressive. They kept the ball really well, so it’s going to be a tough game.

“But if we can nick a goal and get them back to the Showgrounds, then we’ll be in with a real shout.”

Cook has a full squad to choose from.