LARNE were left shellshocked after a goal in the final minute of extra-time sealed their fate against Lincoln Red Imps at Inver Park.
Leading 2-0 from the first leg Larne were sitting pretty in this tie but failed to get the goal which would have killed the tie and were made to pay when the visitors scored twice in three minutes late on, while Montel Gibson was sent off for Larne soon after.
It meant the team from Gibraltar had the chance to win the tie in extra-time which they did when Manu Toledano scored his second goal, this time from the spot, to win it the 120th and final minute.
Red Imps started the game strongly and midfielder Nano was given the time and encouragement on seven minutes to have a go from distance with a rising effort, which clipped the top of Rohan Ferguson’s crossbar.
Three minutes later, striker Kike Gomez raced away from the Larne defence down the left flank before cutting into the box and this time goalkeeper Ferguson was called into action, making himself big to deny the Spanish striker.
However, Larne were still well in the contest and came closest to opening the scoring on 14 minutes after some great approach pay by Matty Lusty.
The striker drove into the box from the left flank before feeding strike partner O’Neill, but last week’s scorer just couldn’t get the ball under control despite poking the ball goalwards twice.
The home fans were then on their feet midway through the half when Lusty wall the ball just inside his own half to leave him with a run on goal, but despite his lung-busting run being ended just outside the box from midfielder Nano, who had recovered well, referee Radoslav Gidzhenov was unmoved.
The end-to-end nature of the tie continued 10 minutes before the break as Alex Mula picked the ball out 25 yards out before having a go, which Scottish stopper Ferguson did well to tip round his left right-hand post.
However, the game remained goalless at the break as Larne looked to inch their way to a draw, or better, which they knew would see them through on aggregate.
At the start of the second of the half it was Haveron’s men who were forcing the issue in search of a goal which would surely have killed the tie.
They came close to getting it twice within a minute on the hour mark when Matty Lusty saw a shot saved and
Firstly, Dylan Sloan fed Matty Lusty on the right side of the box but, from a tight angle, his low drive was blocked.
From the resulting set piece the best chance of the night came when Ronan Doherty swung in a superb cross for skipper Tomas Cosgrove who powered a header which looked destined for the top corner, until goalkeeper Nauzet Santana somehow turned it over.
Two substitutes combined with 11 minutes to go when Aaron McEneff played a clever pass to send Kevin O’Hara into space, but his right-footed effort drifted just wide.
However out of almost nowhere the game was completely turned on its head with two goals and a red card in the space of five minutes.
The visitors hauled them back into the contest with a sublime finish on 81 minutes.
Kike Gomez picked up the ball just inside the box on the right-hand side and curled a superb left-footed effort into the top corner.
With momentum well and truly with them the team from Gibraltar levelled the game just three minutes later when striker Manu Toledano got his head on a Nano’s corner to completely wipe out Larne’ advantage.
An absolute horror five minutes was then complete for the home side as Larne were reduced to 10 men for Montel Gibson’s second yellow car of the night.
From a game they were cruising they were now staring down the barrel extra-time with just 10 men and momentum very much with the visitors.
Incredibly, Jordan McEneff then could have won it in the final minute of the 90 minutes, but he headed wide from Ronan Doherty’s corner.
Larne fought gamely a man short until the very final minute of extra-time when Chris Gallagher clipped the heels of Toledano in the box.
The striker stepped up to give confidently slot into the top right corner of the net to leave penalty expert Rohan Ferguson with no chance and seal the late heartbreak.
Larne: Ferguson, Ridley, Donnelly, Gallagher, O’Neill (’68 Gibson), Doherty (‘105 Magee), Cosgrove, Sloan (’68 McKendry, ‘120 Ukek), Bent, Lusty (’77 O’Hara), Simpson (’77 McEneff)
Subs: Carney, Wallace, Randall
Lincoln Red Imps: Santana, Rutjens, Lopes, Mandi, Gomez (‘120 Romero), Mula (’79 Pinto), Coulibaly (’57 Alvarez), Nano, Torrilla (‘107 Joe), Toledano, Eersteling,
Subs: Hankins, Hamm, Cardozo, Casciaro, Britto
Referee: Radoslav Gidzhenov (Bulgaria)
