EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Superb Crues snatch deserved draw against Rosenborg

Crusaders produced another fantastic European display to remain very much in the tie against Norwegian powerhouses Rosenborg.

Going in front early on through Philip Lowry's strike, the Crues found themselves behind at the break. But a frantic finish saw them almost take the win in front of a raucous Seaview after Billy Joe Burns' deflected effort had drawn them level.

Burns was the pick of the bunch for the home side with a real captain's display, but it was hard to pick fault in any of the performances from the home side who now know what they need to do next Thursday in Norway.

It was the Crues who had the first chance of the match inside five minutes.

Ross Clarke’s ball over the top saw Ben Kennedy beat the offside trap to scamper down the right. He cut in onto his favoured left foot and curled in a low shot that Rosenborg keeper Andre Hansen did well to push away before Adam Lecky could pounce on the rebound.

Rosenborg then went close in the tenth minutes when captain Erlend Reitan found Jayden Nelson on the edge of the box and the winger whistled a vicious shot just wide.

But the Crues deservedly took the lead just a minute later with a trademark Lowry goal.

He latched onto Adam Lecky’s flick to control the ball inside the box and guide an expert finish into the bottom left-hand corner out of the reach of Rosenborg keeper Andre Hansen.

They came within inches of doubling their lead on the quarter hour.

Jordan Fosrythe set Paul Heatley racing down the left flank before cutting inside and firing in a low drive that Hansen managed to get a touch on to divert onto the post and out for a corner.

But the visitors did level on the half hour mark with a fine strike of their own.

Carlo Holse produced a clever turn to baffle Philip Lowry before rifling in a wicked 25-yard shot and the swerve on it deceived Jonny Tuffey to hit the back of the net.

The Norwegians then went in front three minutes before half-time from the penalty spot.

A relatively innocuous ball into the Crusaders box ended with Greek Referee Evangelos Manouchos awarding a penalty for what appeared to be a handball by Daniel Larmour.

Ole Saeter, who had been putting Larmour under pressure, sent Jonny Tuffey the wrong way from the spot to make it 2-1 at the break.

It was the hosts who had the first clear-cut opportunity of the second half, but Jordan Forsythe could only head over the crossbar from a Kennedy corner on the left on 55 minutes.

Holse, who struck that fantastic equaliser, almost bettered his effort just after the hour with a stinging 25-yarder that flew just over Tuffey’s bar. Then the same player turned Edvard Tagseth’s pull back just over two minutes later as Rosenborg threatened to extend their lead.

With just over a quarter of an hour left, a flat second half from Crusaders’ perspective sprang to life.

After sub Jordan Owens won a towering header in the box, the ball broke to Billy Joe Burns 25 yards. His shot looked to be going well wide of the left post before taking a massive deflection of Rosenborg captain Erlend Reitan to wrongfoot the keeper.

They went agonisingly close to going in front for the second time in the match 10 minutes from time.

After Owens nodded down for Jarlath O’Rourke, he lobbed it into the path of Heatley, whose sweetly struck left foot volley appeared to be tipped wide by Hansen only for a goal kick to be given. It was a stunning effort and would have been more than worthy of hitting the net.

As the Crues pushed for a winner, Burns stung the palms of Hansen from the right, before Rosenborg somehow scrambled the ball clear from their own goal-line three minutes from time.

While it will be a much tougher prospect for the Shore Road men next week in Norway, Crusaders have shown enough about them already in Europe this season to feel that they can still progress through to the Third Qualifying Round.

MATCH STATS

Crusaders: Tuffey, McKeown, BJ Burns, Larmour, O’Rourke, Lowry, B Kennedy (Owens 73), Clarke (Anderson 73), Forsythe, Lecky (Winchester 65), Heatley

Subs not used: Williamson, Kerr, Weir, Teelan, M Kennedy, Smith, Boyd, C Burns

Rosenborg: Hansen, Reilan, Pereira, Rogers, Jenssen, Borkeelet (Skjelbred 65), Bjorlo (Vaananen 79), Tagseth, Holse, Saeter (Sadiku 65), Nelson (Rosten 90)

Subs not used: Tangvk, Cornic, Nypan, Holte

Referee: Evangelos Manouchos (Greece)