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Penybont produced a spirited display to draw with Andorra's FC Santa Coloma on their European debut in the first leg of their Europa Conference League first qualifying round tie.

The visitors led at half-time thanks to Mario Mourelo's free-kick, which home keeper Alex Harris should have saved.

Penybont's Chris Venables equalised midway through an eventful second half in which both teams missed chances.

The second leg will be in Andorra next Thursday, 20 July.

Given how evenly matched the two sides were in this opening encounter, Penybont have reason to be optimistic of reaching the second qualifying round.

Whatever happens in the Pyrenees next week, playing in Europe for the first time is something to savour for a club which has only existed since the 2013 merger between Bridgend Town and Bryntirion Athletic.

Penybont had to move this historic fixture from their usual home of the SDM Glass Stadium due to Uefa requirements, to the nearby Brewery Field, the renowned old ground belonging to Bridgend Rugby Club.

Although the terraces could not be opened, all 1,400 seated tickets were sold and the home fans made a racket all game.

There were chances at both ends during an even first half, David Virgili and Eloy Gila going close for FC Santa Coloma before Penybont's Keyon Reffell somehow missed from close range when it appeared easier to score.

Reffell's next involvement was to be yellow-carded for a foul on Andriy Markovych, and Mourelo compounded the punishment by curling the subsequent free-kick around the wall and into the bottom corner despite being within Harris' reach.

From almost exactly the same spot in the second half, Penybont were inches away from equalising when their captain Kane Owen had a free-kick tipped over by Josep Gomes in the FC Santa Coloma goal.

The hosts were not to be denied, though, and another set-piece was nodded down by Dan Jefferies towards the back post, where Venables finished neatly.

Both sides had chances in the closing stages - Harris redeeming his earlier mistake with a handful of good saves - but neither could conjure a second goal.

Penybont manager Rhys Griffiths told ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sport Wales: "I thought it was blood and thunder. It was high intensity.

"I have to say they [FC Santa Coloma] impressed me with the way they stayed with us.

"I thought we might have been able to, for want of a better phrase, beat them up a little bit, but they stood up to it well.

"I thought it was a very even game - there was nothing between the teams. It's a bit frustrating their goal was a bit of a mistake, but I couldn't begrudge them a point."