Battle for third will go right to the wire, says Aberdeen star Darren Mackie

Feb 16 2009 By Anthony Haggerty

DARREN MACKIE reckons the race for the Europa League may not be settled until the last day of the season.

The frontman scored a brilliant volley to put the Dons 1-0 up at Tynecastle but it simply wasn't enough and Jimmy Calderwood's side slumped to a 2-1 defeat.

Aberdeen stay fifth in the SPL, four points behind third-placed Hearts, but Mackie is strapping himself in for a long-haul ride between now and May.

He said: "I believe the battle for the European places will go right to the wire.

"All the teams playing for third and fourth spot are taking points off each other.

"We missed an opportunity to take all three points and go back into third and that is a big disappointment for us.

"It is now a matter of staying focused and getting as many points as we can on the board and hopefully we'll qualify."

Mackie's strike was from the top drawer but he admitted it meant nothing after the Dons conceded two sloppy goals.

He said: "It was a great ball from Charlie Mulgrew and a good finish from me but a victory was not to be.

"We gave away sloppy goals and have come away with another defeat.

"Hearts scoring right on halftime was a big blow for us and we never really recovered from it.

"They got a massive lift from that and we couldn't handle it and just seemed to get deeper and deeper.

"We started to play better after Hearts went ahead but by then it was too late."

Boss Calderwood is confident Mackie - who signed a new contract this week - could hold his own south of the border but the player insists he is happy enough with life at Pittodrie for the time being.

Mackie said: "It was good to get my contract sorted out so I can now concentrate on the football.

"I am more than happy at Aberdeen and love playing for the club. Maybe one day I will give England a try but not at the moment."

Taken from the Daily Record