Europa Conference League: Brave Crusaders knocked out in extra time thriller after battling display against Rosenborg in Norway

On a dramatic night, Crusaders goal scorer Paul Heatley was sent off for a second yellow card in the closing moments of the first period in extra time, minutes after his strike drew the Irish Cup winners level in Trondheim.

It was a battling display by Stephen Baxter’s side, who went out on their shields after holding Rosenborg to a 2-2 draw at Seaview in Belfast last week.

Baxter gave Jude Winchester the nod in place of striker Adam Lecky, who was named on the bench.

Crues’ Ben Kennedy had a golden opportunity to put the visitors ahead after receiving a pinpoint cross from Jarlath O'Rourke, but he headed directly at goalkeeper André Hansen from the back post.

Yttergård Jenssen went close for Rosenborg after his header flashed wide of the post before the deadline was broken by Jayden Nelson.

The Canadian international picked up a pass from Sverre Halseth Nypan and lashed low into the bottom corner to give the home side a 3-2 aggregate lead.

Crusaders refused to allow their heads to drop, and their resilience was repaid when Philip Lowry equalised on the stroke of half-time.

Kennedy’s back-heel, after a cross from Ross Clarke on the right, came to Lowry, who pounced on the chance and made no mistake from close range.

Baxter sent on Lecky for Winchester at the break and Crusaders had a fleeting chance early in the second half, when Jordan Forsyth’s header from a corner floated wide after he smartly created space for himself in the box.

After a strong start from the Crues, goalkeeper Jonathan Tuffey was called into action twice in the space of minute, first repelling a Tobias Borkeeiet volley before denying Leo Cornic.

Not long afterwards, Rosenborg’s Nelson almost doubled his tally when his effort appeared to have Tuffey beaten only to cannon back off the crossbar.

Forsythe then scrambled the ball clear in Crusaders’ six-yard box before Tuffey made a magnificent diving save to his left from an Ísak Thorvaldsson header in added time.

Crusaders held on to take the tie into extra time and with the outcome delicately poised, Rosenborg struck first to make it 2-1 on the night when Thorsvalsson succeeded with another header, before being forced to leave the pitch due to a clash of heads.

Crusaders, though, proved their mettle yet again when Heatley levelled for the Irish League side only a minute later.

Lecky sent in a cross from the right and Heatley’s shot was helped on its way into the Rosenborg net by a deflection as the game took another twist.

But there was more drama to come when Heatley saw red after a second yellow card for apparent time wasting.

Reduced to ten men, Crusaders then fell behind for the third time in the match when Tuffey’s save from Magnus Holte fell to Cornic, who belted in Rosenborg’s third off the underside of the crossbar.

It proved to be a killer blow as the hosts held on for a narrow victory with Crusaders agonisingly missing out on a place in the third qualifying round.