BALA Town will take plenty of heart from their 100 per cent home record in the Uefa Europa League when they welcome Swedish outfit AIK to Rhyl tonight (Thursday, ko 6.30pm).

Colin Caton’s team were soundly beaten by the Swedish side at the Tele2 Arena in Stockholm in the first qualifying round first leg - but a very committed effort by the Lakesiders ensured that the hosts were held to a 2-0 win last week.

Caton believes that last season’s Welsh Premier League runners-up can still produce a major shock and make it into the second qualifying round.

“I’ll be looking for us to go out all guns blazing to try and win this one in the return game,” Caton said.

“We’ve won our two previous European legs at Rhyl, although we know we have got to score three to win the tie.”

The first leg defeat in Sweden was actually the first time Bala had failed to score in five Europa League games - and Bala won both their home legs at Rhyl’s Belle Vue in the previous two European campaigns.

In 2013 the Lakesiders were drawn against Levadia Tallinn, from Estonia, and after winning the home leg 1-0, they eventually bowed out of the competition when going down 3-1 in the reverse fixture in Tallinn.

Then, in 2015, Bala only narrowly missed out on playing Turkish giants Trabzonspor in the second qualifying round, when losing on 4-3 on aggregate to Luxembourg side Differdange 03, after losing the away leg 3-1.

Bala were winning the home leg 2-0, and looked set to progress by virtue of their away goal, until they crucially conceded an injury time goal that sent them out.

In Sweden, goals in each half from Amin Affane and former Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City defender Nils-Eric Johansson gave AIK a 2-0 first leg advantage, but Bala dug deep to keep the tie alive.

“I’m proud of all the players for how they performed in such a high profile game,” Caton said after the match.

“There was a great atmosphere in the stadium, and we’re looking forward to playing the home leg now, with everything to play for.”

Meanwhile AIK coach Rikard Norling came to the defence of his side after they failed to capitalise on a host of chances to put the tie beyond doubt in the home leg.

Whilst paying tribute to the Bala’s committed performance, he was also critical of the newly-laid artificial 3G surface at the Tele2 Arena.

Norling said he was pleased with the result in Stockholm, but warned that they were only halfway towards securing their progress.

“We kept a clean sheet, which was the most important thing, and my feeling is that we will continue to create chances away from home,” Norling said.

“The victory was never threatened. Bala had only one scoring opportunity, but other than that the Welsh barely got out of their own half during the match.

“Had we won the game 4-0 we would have had the feeling that this tie was clear, but we do not know now.

“They played 5-4-1 at times, and it could be a completely different line-up when we face them there. But if we can get a goal, they will need to get four.”

• The home leg will be played at Rhyl this Thursday, 7 July, with a 6.30pm kick-off, and for the home and neutral supporters, tickets are available to buy at the Rhyl Club Shop on the day of the match only.

Tickets will be on sale from mid-afternoon, and cost £10 for adults, and £5 concessions and U16s.