Larne boss Tiernan Lynch wants his side to "have a go" against RFS in the first leg of their Champions League first qualifying round tie.

RFS are the current Latvian champions and sit top of the Vrsliga after 21 games, seven points clear of rivals Riga.

Lynch acknowledges that it will be a tough task to get something from the first leg away from home, but he hopes his team will embrace the occasion.

"They're not unbeatable, if we go and give a good account of ourselves there, you never know what can happen at Inver Park," he told BBC Sport NI.

Lynch admits that from a coaching perspective, the European games are his "favourite time of the year".

He explained: "Being guaranteed four games [in European competition] is our favourite part of the season, it is something different and it makes it exciting with the travel that goes with it.

"These teams play very differently so you have to set yourself up very differently."

Looking at the opposition, Lynch is wary of the threat they pose going forward, but he is hopeful that his side can learn from last year's Champions League campaign against HJK Helsinki.

The Inver outfit lost 3-2 on aggregate after extra time following a dramatic draw at Solitude.

"RFS are a good side, they have a front four that can cause a lot of problems and they look sharp, but we have to go in there with a sense of confidence as we're a good side too.

"We were very unfortunate against HJK last year in both legs, we have nothing to lose and we'll have a go."

Larne are set to be without key duo Leroy Millar and Shaun Want for the first leg, through injury.

"We have a few niggles, Leroy is away for an operation, Shaun Want has broken down again but is hopefully not too far away, but hopefully we can get patched up for Wednesday."

RFS are no stranger to Irish Premiership opposition having beaten Linfield in a dramatic penalty shootout in a Europa Conference League play-off in August 2022.

Kyle McClean looked to have scored the winner for Linfield in extra time, before a late own goal from Jimmy Callacher sent the game to penalties, where RFS triumphed 4-2.

That is the closest an Irish League side has come to European group stage football and Larne captain Cian Bolger believes his side can take heart from the Blues' display that evening.

"Linfield were thirty seconds away from qualifying and you have to take great inspiration from that because they were so close and that drives us on to go and make a little bit of history," he said.

The defender also admitted that the financial rewards for Larne for getting through this tie are a huge motivating factor.

"We have to go out and face the challenge head on and try get a result because the financial results for the club are massive.

"It's a great experience to face these teams away in Europe, the coaching staff have done the analysis and we have been studying them hard so hopefully we can go out and do something."