It was a four-goal thriller in Finland as wonder strikes from Jordan Forsythe and Ross Clarke earned Crusaders a highly credible, 2-2 draw with FC Haka in this first leg tie.

This outcome, despite a frustrating first half from Crusaders’ perspective, keeps them well in contention of progressing with the second leg at Seaview to come next Thursday evening.

Both sides started scrappily with ball retention a regular mishap but compared to Larne’s rocky beginning last night, any nerves were understandable.

Ten minutes in and Crusaders created an opening as Ross Clarke’s cross was headed goal bound by Ben Kennedy who nodded it into the hands of Haka goalkeeper, Aatu Hakala.

Clarke was providing the game with some much-needed craft, and he almost succeeded in finding Rory McKeown approaching the half’s midpoint, only for an alert Haka defender to hack it out.

Then, from their next goal kick, Crusaders clicked into life.

Jonathan Tuffey aimed long, Clarke made an aerial nuisance of himself which left Adam Lecky room to lay off a nice setup pass which Jordan Forsythe sauntered onto and flew a curling long-range screamer into the net, beyond a helpless Hakala.

If anything, though, that roared the previously slumbering hosts into action as they struck two quickfire, devastating blows before half time.

Firstly, in the thirty-second minute, Jarlath O’Rourke was adjudged by Norwegian referee, Sivert Oknes Amland, to have handled in the box.

Up stepped Logan Rogerson who swept the spot kick away with ease as Haka made it 1-1.

Three minutes later, with Crusaders still reeling, Haka rubbed salt in the wounds as they pounced to move in front, forward Tiemoko Fofana left with the simple task of tapping home from close range after Stavos Zarokostas shimmied unstoppably down the wing, digging out a cross, craving a touch.

Fofana applied a decisive one and the first leg had been flipped on its head in fifteen, frantic first half minutes.

Concluding the half, a couple of Clarke Crusaders corners were well defended, and Haka headed in 2-1 to the good.

When the match resumed after the interval, there was a letoff for the visitors as a superbly struck free kick by Haka’s Janne-Pekka Laine hit the crossbar, with Tuffey looking thwarted in goal.

Kennedy forced Hakala into action from a direct free kick in response as the NIFL side chased a much-valued equaliser.

Aiding them in that cause was a huge momentum swing, as we entered the final quarter with Laine given his marching orders for two rash yellow cards in as many minutes, the second for fouling Philip Lowry, as Haka were hit hard and a man down with twenty-five minutes still to play.

Crusaders capitalised immediately as Clarke whipped the resulting free kick exquisitely into the top corner, hauling the away side level in what was proving to be a four-goal thriller!

Substitute Jordan Owens, in for the tireless Kennedy late on, headed across goal where Lowry lashed onto it but drove infuriatingly wide as the Belfast-based team looked to nick a priceless, late victory to take back home.

And Haka so nearly made him pay in injury time, when, with the last kick, Zarokostas fired a fantastic free kick effort skimming wide as an engrossing encounter ended two apiece.

Plenty of thrills and spills and ultimately, despite briefly leading and playing against ten men, a positive result for Crusaders with the home leg to come.

Both will feel confident of reaching the next round of Conference League qualifiers and that will be decided at a sellout, raucous, Seaview in a week’s time.

If it’s anything like this evening’s, a leg to immensely look forward to.