Highlights: Larne v Auda

Mark Strange
BBC Sport NI contributor

Larne were held to a goalless draw by FK Auda in the first leg of their Uefa Conference League qualifying first round tie.

The hosts had the better of proceedings in an entertaining first half but it was the Latvian side who threatened first on eight minutes.

Rohan Ferguson spilled a cross at the feet of Stevenson Jeudi but Larne scrambled back to smother his effort.

The hosts came inches away just five minutes later when Conor McKendry dragged an effort just wide of the left post of Roberts Ozols.

Paul O'Neill was having a lively first period and beat Tin Hrvoj to a header that Ozols did well to save, before Deniss Melniks also rose high for a corner at the other rend that was blocked as we into the half goalless.

Larne continued to edge the game after the break and had their best spell midway through the second half.

Another O'Neill header was tipped wide before Jordan McEneff found space in the box from the corner but had his shot deflected away.

As the game wound down, chanced were getting harder to come by but Rohan Ferguson had to have his wits about him on 80 minutes when sub Kader Kone's deflected low shot was tipped wide by the Scottish stopper.

That would prove to be the last big chance for either side and the tie is firmly in the balance for the second leg in Riga on 16 July.

"We now know how to play them a bit more, tonight we had relied a bit on video footage," Larne head coach Nathan Rooney told BBC Sport NI.

"If we had a bit more confidence in front of goal and I think we should have had the result tonight.

"I thought we played with tempo and showed a lot of grit. For me, it's a good starting point."

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