Larne manager Gary Haveron said he was “proud” of his players’ efforts in their 4-0 home defeat by Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League second qualifying round, first leg.
The Inver Reds trailed at the break after Bruno Duarte converted from the spot, but the Serbian club would add another three in the second period as Duarte grabbed a second, while Vasilije Kostov and Muhammed Cham found the net to all but finish the tie off.
Haveron felt his team can take a lot from the experience but accepts they were up against a “different level” of opposition.
“I’m extremely proud,” Haveron told BBC Sport NI.
“For long stages in the first half we frustrated them and were probably a bit disappointed to come in one down given the soft penalty.
“I thought the shape was really good, discipline really good and in the second half we got caught up in the occasion and chased the game a bit too much. When you give a quality team space in behind, they can hurt you and did that in a 10-minute spell when they scored two goals and killed the tie.
“It’s a learning opportunity for us and we can take so much as a club, coaching staff and players. The quality is different level and some of the finishes were ridiculous.”
Larne will travel to Belgrade for the second leg next Wednesday [19:00 BST] and while Haveron accepts the Champions League is “a step too far”, he is hopeful they can push on in the Europa or perhaps Conference League qualifiers.
“Our ceiling wasn’t the Champions League,” he stressed.
“Winning the first game [against Tre Fiori] gave us an opportunity in the Europa League, gave us an opportunity in the Conference League that gives us a level of football we can be competitive in.
“We made group stages previously [2024/25] but you need to get lucky with the draw and it gives us a chance to be competitive.
“When you get to this stage of the Champions League, it’s a step too far, but about the occasion, the experience and performance, so next week will stand to us going into the rest of the season.”