Crusaders slip to defeat in Gibraltar

The Crues went down 2-1 to the Magpies in the first leg of their Europa Conference League opener in sweltering conditions in Gibraltar.

The heat made life difficult for the Seaview men, who conceded either side of the half-time break.

Jordan Forsythe pulled a goal back midway through the second half, but Stephen Baxter's men could not find an equaliser before the end.

Jonny Tuffey was called into action after only nine minutes as he was forced to deal with an effort from Pibe.

The Crues responded with Ross Clarke surging clear on 17 minutes but his shot was blocked by home keeper Silva before being cleared.

The heat was clearly having an impact on the game with neither side really carving out any clear cut chances.

Ronco's long range effort 11 minutes before the break was never going to trouble Tuffey.

Just when it looked like the Crues would go in at the break all-square they were undone by a great strike from Daniel Bent, who fired home from the edge of the box on 44 minutes.

Adam Lecky was introduced at the break for new boy Dean Ebbe, but things went from bad to worse for the visitors.

Minutes after the restart Pibe beat the offside trap and raced clear to slot past Tuffey as the Crues looked for a flag from the referee's assistant.

Crusaders were desperate for a lifeline with Paul Heatley trying to provide it with an effort from outside the box, but it bounced tamely wide.

But with 63 minutes on the clock the visitors did manage to get themselves back into the game as Forsythe got on the end of Clarke's corner.

The goal give the Crues some real impetus going into the final quarter of the game with Heatley twice going close to an equaliser firing one shot wide before forcing Silva into a smart save from another effort.

Jordan Owens was introduced from the bench as Crusaders ramped up the pressure in the closing stages.

Both he and Heatley had chances in the dying minutes but the home side should have added a third after Clarke had given away a free kick on the edge of the box.