JOHN SUTTON is out to avoid another Europa League hard-luck story when he leads the line for Motherwell against Russians Kuban Krasnodar at Fir Park tonight.

The powerful English striker has returned to Lanarkshire for his second spell with the Steelmen two years after leaving for an ultimately ill-fated spell with Hearts.

One of the prime motivations for his return was the frustration he nursed over a succession of near misses at Europa League qualification with Well.

In 2010-11, Well fell at the third qualification hurdle against Danes OB Odense with the tie hinging on a missed penalty by the Fir Park men.

The season before the Steelmen lost out against Romanian side Steua Bucharest over two hard-fought legs, while a case of under-performance on home soil against French club Nancy undid a gutsy first-leg display on French soil in 2008-09.

But despite the fact the multi-million pound Russians are already on a three-game unbeaten run in their domestic competition, Sutton believes this is the season Well can finally make an impact on the European game's second-tier tournament.

The 29-year-old said: "There have been a few hard-luck stories for Motherwell over the last few seasons and certainly that was the case in my first spell with the club.

"You look back at the ties with Nancy and Odense in particular and these were two ties that were real opportunities we failed to make the most of.

"I think the tie with the Danes was one that we had a real chance to win and progress beyond the third qualification round for the first time.

"But I look at the quality of players we have here – with the likes of James McFadden, Keith Lasley, Stephen McManus – and I think we are now better equipped than in my first spell to make that extra step.

"At the same time we know Kuban are already three games into their domestic season, have spent big and are coming into this first leg off the back of a draw at Zenit St Petersburg.

"We are aware of the size of the task ahead of us, but if we can produce a really concentrated effort over the full 90 minutes, we will give ourselves a chance."

Sutton was in big Battle-of-Britain ties with Liverpool and Spurs while at Hearts but says that Kuban, if anything, will represent even more formidable opposition tonight.

He said: "I was talking about this with Keith Lasley and we both agreed that if we had drawn an English team similar to Tottenham or Liverpool people would have been writing us off before a ball was kicked.

"But because Kuban are from Russia and not one of the better known Russian side's they have not been hyped as much as an English side would have been.

"But we are talking about a side in which Djibril Cisse can't get off the bench, so this is probably as tough a draw as we could have been handed at this stage in the tournament."

Sutton is under no illusions as to the winning formula tonight.

"We have to remember that this is a two-leg tie and we have to be balanced in our approach," he said.

"At the same time, we have to be positive when we do get our opportunities.

"But there is plenty of experience of European football in our side this time around and that could prove a huge plus."