Uefa Conference League: Larne beaten by Lincoln Red Imps in Faro first leg

That goal appeared to sting the Red Imps into life and Larne were let off the hook almost immediately when Rohan Ferguson saved well from Joe’s header and Nano somehow struck the post from the rebound.

However, their reprieve would not last long as Nano turned provider with a beautiful back heel that split the Larne defence and allowed Gomez to slot past Ferguson on 22 minutes.

Larne’s heads did not drop and Andy Ryan struck a free-kick just over the bar on 33 minutes. Despite this positivity, they went in behind at the break after some disappointing defending from a set-piece on 42 minutes.

Britto’s delivery from a right-sided free-kick was swept home from six yards by Joe, who survived a VAR check for offside but was given far too much space to score.

The second half did not have the same spark of the first with Larne again dominating the ball and the Red Imps happy to sit back.

Ryan came close on 75 minutes when he latched onto a Lusty flick-on and rounded Santana only to roll his effort across the face of goal and inches wide.

Tiernan Lynch introduced new signings Jordan McEneff and Benji Magee but they could not find the equaliser so Larne will head back to Inver Park with a not-insurmountable one-goal deficit.