McCrorie on a group-stage mission

SO NEAR, yet so far. Aberdeen are just 180 minutes away from the Europa Conference League group stage but to get there they must overcome Qarabag and a 5,000-mile round trip to Baku in the first leg of Thursday’s play-off round tie.

Although the new competition is a step down from the Europa League, reaching the play-off round is an achievement in itself for the Dons.

The third round of Europa League qualifying had been their glass ceiling in recent years but they are now just one round away from reaching the promised land of continental group-stage action until Christmas.

It’s been an impressive start to the season by Stephen Glass’s men. They have two wins from two in the Premiership and today travel to Kirkcaldy to face Raith Rovers as they get their Premier Sports Cup campaign underway.

Ross McCrorie has been a regular at centre-back this term and turned in his best performance of the campaign so far in last Thursday’s victory over Breidablik. Having been part of the team that lost to Sporting Lisbon last September in the Europa League, the 23-year-old is desperate to make amends.

McCrorie said: ‘The reason I came to Aberdeen was to help us push to that next level by winning silverware and progressing further in Europe. Hopefully the latter can happen now as we are just two games away from doing it and it’s up to us to seize the opportunity.

‘We were unlucky to lose out to Sporting Lisbon a year ago but they were a top team who went on to win their domestic league. The aim is to do better this time but we are up against another good side.

‘They’ve been in the Champions League and Europa League group stages in recent years.’

It promises to be a busy week for the Dons, as they face Raith today, Qarabag on Thursday and Hearts at Tynecastle next Sunday.

‘There are a lot of games and a lot of travel but it’s not as though it’s something we aren’t used to,’ said McCrorie (right). ‘We have a big enough squad to cope with it.

‘It’s a challenge but making the group stage would be a step forward for the club. Aberdeen haven’t done that for a long time but there are enough of us in the squad who have European experience. ‘Scott Brown especially given what he’s done with Celtic down the years and he will help us massively. I’ve no doubt that we have the quality in the team to take that next step but we know Qarabag have a decent pedigree in European football.’ McCrorie added that they won’t get too ahead of themselves as they make the trip to Fife. He said: ‘There’s no chance that we’ll take our eye off the ball when we play Raith Rovers.

‘They are a good side in the Championship and shocks do happen as Brora Rangers beat Hearts in last season’s Scottish Cup.’