Butcher tips Hibees to net in Ukraine

While a 0-0 draw in the first leg at Easter Road makes the Ukrainian outfit favourites to progress to the lucrative group stages of the competition, they are struggling themselves to score goals.

Dnipro have managed just eight goals in ten matches in the Vysha League and drew another blank with a goal-less draw away to third placed Chernomorets, a result which sees them stuck in 12th place, already 15 points behind leaders Shakhtar Donetsk.

In stark contrast, ten of Hibs' 16 goals this season have come on the road, leaving Butcher, who admitted his team could have suffered an even heavier defeat at Fir Park, convinced that the Easter Road side are far from out of the UEFA Cup.

He said: "If they play as they did against us then they are well capable of nicking a goal over there and if they do that then the Ukrainians will have to score two so Hibs are most certainly in with a chance."

However, one worry for Mowbray was the sight of midfield star Kevin Thomson limping out of the action after just 34 minutes following a kick to the same knee which required cruciate ligament damage.

Only three weeks after being carried off on a stretcher at Fir Park while playing for Scotland's Under-21 side against Italy, Thomson was clearly in great pain as he waved a stretcher aside in this instance, preferring the assistance of physio Colin McLelland and fitness coach Dougie Fowler as he hobbled from the pitch.

Hibs will be hoping Thomson makes as quick a recovery as he did from the injury sustained on international duty, the 20-year-old able to play for his country four days later with no obvious after-effects.

Mowbray said: "At the moment Kevin is still quite mentally tender. He took quite a bad kick on the knee and is a slight concern.

"There was quite a bit of swelling coming out but the knee itself feels quite solid so hopefully it will prove to be nothing more than a kick."

HIBS face Motherwell reserves at Easter Road tonight, kick-off 7pm.