UEFA Conference League round-up: Hearts limp out, first win for Larne

Hearts supporters vented their fury at players, management and board members after a 2-2 home draw with Moldovan minnows Petrocub cost them the chance to progress to the Conference League knockout phase play-off round.

On the occasion of their 100th European fixture, the Edinburgh club had high hopes of making it past Christmas in continental competition for the first time in 36 years.

A win over a Petrocub side who had taken just one point from their previous five matches in the tournament would have been enough to keep Neil Critchley's side in the top 24 and take them into Friday’s play-off draw.

But after fighting back from 1-0 down at half-time to lead 2-1 through goals from teenager James Wilson and substitute Blair Spittal, an 83rd-minute penalty equaliser from Victor Mudrac meant the Jambos ended up failing to make it through the group stage despite winning their first two matches.

It represented another disastrous night in a season where they find themselves bottom of the William Hill Premiership.

Larne signed off their Conference League campaign with an historic 1-0 win against Gent at Windsor Park.

Larne are the first club from Northern Ireland to make it to the group stage of a European competition, and prior to Thursday's fixture, had struggled to have an impact, lying bottom of the table without a point.

But Tomas Cosgrove’s second-half strike ensured they became the first Irish League side to win on the European big stage.

Larne spent the majority of the game on the backfoot against their superior Belgian opponents.

However, captain Cosgrove converted Sean Graham’s low cross with 16 minutes remaining to send the home crowd wild.

Larne then saw out eight minutes of stoppage time as they secured a famous win which took