Fola Esch vs Aberdeen - Docherty expects improved Aberdeen performance

Aberdeen assistant boss Tony Docherty reckons the fine-tuning carried out to the Dons over the past week can help them motor through in the Europa League.

The Pittodrie side appeared to be misfiring as they opened up their campaign against Fola Esch on home soil last week.

Having taken a 69th-minute lead through Shay Logan, they found themselves quickly pegged back by the visitors' Julien Klein.

A disappointing draw looked on the cards until stoppage-time strikes from Niall McGinn and Adam Rooney eventually put daylight between the Reds and their first qualifying round opponents.

Aberdeen have now touched down in Luxembourg ahead of Thursday's return meeting but Docherty said boss Derek McInnes has worked hard over the past week to ensure their previous stuttering display is not repeated.

He told the club's official website: "Last week there was no surprise when Fola gave us a couple of scares. They are a team that are used to winning in their own league and with that habit of winning they are a dangerous animal.

"We have to treat them with the respect that we always would but we are confident in our approach and if we go about things the right way we can do a professional job.

"In the first competitive game you are always trying to iron things out and I think as the game went on our decision making got better and we got sharper.

"The important thing for us was that we kept going, nobody thought that it wasn't going to be our night. Since then there has been some more fine-tuning so we will be a bit sharper in the second leg.

"Each team will be picked accordingly to try and win that game and to execute our game plan. We are very fortunate that we have good players in the squad and we will make sure that we pick the right ones to try and get the game won."

Rooney's return to scoring form after climbing off the bench to slot home a 97th-minute penalty was a welcome boost for McInnes' team.

The Irishman featured just once in the final three months of last season as he struggled with injury and Docherty admits his re-introduction to the side will have to be managed carefully.

He said: "Adam did well when he came off the bench in the first game, he gave us that added edge.

"He scored the penalty and he could have had a couple, and he is one of those players who you know will always score you a goal.

"We have got to be fair to Adam as well, though, as he had a long lay-off with injury and he has surprised us with how much progress he has made in pre-season."

Miles Storey will sit out the game despite officially sealing his switch to Pittodrie earlier this week.

The former Swindon and Inverness striker completed his free transfer to the Dons on July 1 but missed the deadline to feature in the second leg.

Defender Callum Morris will sit out the match through injury.