A Matthew Lusty goal right at the end of normal time handed Larne a first leg UEFA Conference League victory over Kosovan opponents FC Ballkani in Pristina.

The result means Tiernan Lynch's side bring an important advantage into their Third Qualifying Round return at Inver Park next Thursday evening, and goes a little way to avenging the 7-0 aggregate defeat they suffered to the same side this time last year.

Scoreless at the break, Ballkani came closest to finding a way through in the latter stages of the first half when Bernard Karrica got on the end of a loose ball on the left side of the area but saw his low drive well deflected away by keeper Rohan Ferguson.

The home side came close again early in the second half after Queven Inácio's ball wasn't adequately cleared with it eventually falling for Almir Kryeziu but again Ferguson was on hand to make the save.

Larne might have gone in front themselves not long after that when Andy Ryan sent the ball into the box only for it come off the top of the crossbar before going out.

But what proved to be the winner on the night came in the 90th minute after a Levi Ives free-kick from the right was flicked on by Lee Bonis with Lusty well placed to bundle the ball over the line from five yards out.

FC Ballkani: Kolici, Halili, Jashanica, Thaqi, Queven, Hamidi, Emerllahu, Ismajlgeci, Potoku, Karrica, Kryeziu subs Miftari, Ljuljanovic, Smajli, Sinani, Halitjaha, Engjell, Dulaj, Kodra, Giovanni, Abedini, Tolaj

Larne: Ferguson, Ives, Donnelly, Bolger, Cosgrove; Graham, Gallagher, Sloan, Bonis, Randall, Ryan subs Graham, Want, Baris, Thomson, McKendry, O'Neill, Brown, Smith, Lusty, Devlin