Play-off progress builds confidence for Hibs - Kerr

Jason Kerr believes a clean sheet away to Shkendija can provide the platform Hibernian to reach the league stage of the Conference League. Hibs drew 0-0 in sweltering conditions in Skopje, progressing 2-1 on aggregate to reach the play-off round for the second successive season, with Belgian side Gent their seeded opponents. "It's going to take a lot, but I'm fully confident in the players we've got in the dressing room," said Kerr. "There's a lot of quality and I think we can do it. "Getting the clean sheet as well, first of the season, we'll take confidence from that, especially as defenders. "It was a completely different game from the first leg. We had to ride our luck a little bit. We made a good few blocks, a lot of defensive actions. "It was not the best game to watch, but, when you're ahead in the tie, you take that all day. Getting through is all that really matters." Hibs had to cope with temperatures of around 30C at kick-off, but Kerr believes the incentive of moving one step closer to European league stage football for the first time helped players overcome the conditions. "It wasn't as hot as I thought it would be, to be fair," said the 29-year-old. "It was humid and it does drain you, but the thought of getting through to the next round gives you that extra bit of motivation and determination. "I think all the lads felt that in the last 10 minutes. Putting our bodies on the line at times, I just felt like we deserved that." Before their European campaign resumes in Belgium next Thursday, Hibs turn their attention Sunday's Premier Sports Cup tie with Partick Thistle at Easter Road. "We're two games away from a semi-final, potentially," added Kerr. "So it's a massive game and that's us three unbeaten now. We need to keep that run going and get through in another cup competition. "It'll be a tough game. I know Partick Thistle have done well the past couple of years, so we won't be taking them lightly. But I think that's one we can get past as well."