Leroy Millar goal levels game for 10-man Larne against Crusaders

The Inver men had to do it the hard way because they had to play the final 25 minutes with only 10 men after influential midfielder Mark Randall was dismissed due to picking up quickfire yellow cards.

It was a rip-roaring 1-1 encounter that thrilled both sets of supporters.

Philip Lowry shot the Crues into a second-half lead – an advantage they held until 10 minutes from time when Millar produced his party piece.

Larne were almost in front on 15 minutes.

Randall reached quickly to pick up a Tomas Cosgrove throw-in and, after cutting past Rory McKeown, his fierce shot was superbly tipped over the top by Jonny Tuffey.

Randall subsequently delivered the resulting corner-kick that was met by Lee Bonis, whose volley inched over the crossbar.

It was all Larne at this stage.

They created another chance with Ben Doherty and Millar linking up on the left and when the former Ballymena United man’s cross got past Tuffey, McKeown managed to hoof clear.

After soaking up all the pressure, the Crues at last threatened at the other end.

Ross Clarke’s corner-kick was met by Johnny McMurray, whose flick header fizzed wide with Lowry unable to get a toe to the ball.

The home team had an even better chance 10 minutes before the break.

McMurray cleverly headed on a Billy Joe Burns punt through the middle, leaving Paul Heatley with only Rohan Ferguson to beat but the goalkeeper saved brilliantly.

Larne looked like breaking the deadlock on 38 minutes.

Bonis and Doherty carved open the Crues defence before releasing Millar, whose blistering low drive was superbly beaten away by the boot of Tuffey.

Then, just before the interval, Burns’ raking 60-yard pass was picked up by Heatley and, having spotted Ferguson off his line, he tried a cheeky lob that inched wide.

The theme continued after the restart with Bonis’ thumping header, following a Randall free-kick, once again bringing the best out of Tuffey before the Crues raced to the other end, with McMurray rapping the post from close-range after Heatley had recycled a Burns cross.

But the visitors were reduced to 10 men just before the hour when Randall picked up two yellow cards in the space of 60 seconds, the second for an elbowing incident on Lowry.

The Crues midfielder then had a header clawed out of the bottom corner by Ferguson on 64 minutes but when Jordan Forsythe took a short corner to Heatley, it caught Larne cold.

The little striker whipped in a great cross that fell for Lowry, who blasted home.

Larne were level with 10 minutes remaining. Daniel Larmour hauled down Larne substitute Shea Gordon 20 yards out and Bonis drilled in a low shot that was parried by Tuffey, only for Millar to ram home the rebound.

CRUSADERS: Tuffey, Burns, Hegarty, Lowry, Forsythe (Weir, 72), Winchester (Ebbe, 86), Larmour, Heatley, McKeown, Clarke, McMurray (Ebbe, 92).

Subs (not used): Murphy, Robinson, Steele, Boyd.

LARNE: Ferguson, Sule, Randall, O’Neill (Kelly, 83), Bonis, Doherty (Gordon, 70), Donnelly, Bolger, Millar, Cosgrove, Hughes.

Subs (not used): McIntyre, Want, Watson, Kearns, Lusty.

REFEREE: Steven Gregg.