CALLUM ROBERTS will be hoping his second taste of European football is less dramatic than the first.

Roberts lined up at left-back on his debut for Connah's Quay Nomads in the 2-1 defeat to Kilmarnock at Rhyl's Belle Vue last week.

The first qualifying round clash was also Roberts' Europa League bow, and the 20-year-old was in the thick of the action.

"It was a great experience making my European debut," said Roberts. "I felt really comfortable in the shape we were in and I thought the instructions from the side were really good and we set-up really well against them."

Roberts was the key man in Nomads' goal, the full-back taking advantage of some space behind the Kilmarnock defence to venture forward and produce a dangerous cross that Greg Taylor could only put into his own net.

"I saw a bit of an opening," said Roberts. "I saw Declan (Poole) go inside, with them pressing on there was no one tracking back and I always back myself one-on-one, so I took a touch on the outside and put it in a dangerous area, luckily it's come off his foot.

"I couldn't believe it when it went in...it was a good moment.

"I like going forward and didn't have too much chance in the game, which you accept because of the quality of the opposition.

"It was good to help get the goal and it's devastating that we couldn't hang on in the end.

"We will bounce back from that."

Unfortunately for Roberts, he played a roll in Kilmarnock's leveller, a clumsy challenge with Chris Burke resulting in a penalty to the Scottish Premiership side that Eamonn Brophy coolly converted.

"It's something that comes from experience and I will learn," said a visibly disappointed Roberts.

"I am gutted and I feel like I've let the lads down."

Asked whether he felt it was a penalty, Roberts continued: "A few of the lads have said that they thought it was, so you listen to them because they wouldn't say that if they thought it wasn't.

"I've just tried to get my body across him and win us a foul, and I've misjudged the distance and at this level you get punished for mistakes like that.

"I've got to learn from it, improve on it and make sure it doesn't happen again."

And worse was to follow for Nomads as Stuart Findlay escaped his marker to head home Burke's corner deep into stoppage time.

"Their movement didn't trouble us too much and then we've conceded from two set-pieces, which is what the manager prides himself on," said Roberts. "That is a bitter pill to swallow.

"The lads tried their hardest, but sometimes you need to be cuter in these types of games."

But Roberts and Nomads will roll their sleeves up as they approach Thursday's return leg at Rugby Park with fresh minds.

"We will go again and you never know, I think we can cause them a few problems," added Roberts. "But that second goal going in has made it a lot tougher ask."