It was demolition in Denmark last night as a three-goal second-half salvo — including two in a minute — blew Linfield’s chances of a European adventure out of the water.

Linfield’s last venture into the UEFA Cup saw them knockout Ventspils of Latvia in round one before a heartbreaking defeat to Halmstads of Sweden in the second.

There will be no repeat of that in the newly revamped and renamed Europa League after the Blues were beaten 4-0 by Randers.

It was the Blues’ heaviest European defeat in seven years — since they lost 4-0 to Norwegian side Stabaek in the UEFA Cup.

David Jeffrrey’s side rallied and managed a 1-1 draw in the return leg of that tie and salvaging some pride is about as much as they can hope for now at Mourneview Park next Thursday.

There was no suggestion in the early stages that the scoreline would end up so one-sided. Indeed, the Blues had their full-time opponents on the back foot and it would have been no shock had they taken the lead but, instead, Randers struck first nine minutes before the break.

When they added the second two minutes after half-time Linfield were up against it and the knockout blows came swiftly, in the 79th and 80th minutes.

Michael Carvill — playing in a wide role in a 4-5-1 formation which saw Alan Blayney and Philip Lowry handed Linfield debuts — was the man causing most of the problems for the Randers defence.

Midway through the first-half he got clear of Issah Ahmed and fired in a low shot which goalkeeper Kevin Ellegaard didn’t deal with adequately, only for Jamie Mulgrew to be adjudged offside as he attempted to pounce on the rebound.

Seconds later Ellegaard made a mess off a cross and Jim Ervin saw his header hit the side-netting as Linfield enjoyed a five- minute spell of steady attacking.

Their failure to find a goal proved costly though when former Denmark international Soren Berg broke the deadlock. There appeared to be little danger when he picked up the ball just outside the box, but when he feinted inside and side-stepped the Linfield defence there was little that Blayney could do as the ball flew past him and into the net.

Whatever Jeffrey said to rally his troops at half-time was quickly undone as Randers doubled their lead seconds after the re-start.

Carvill failed to make a challenge in the middle of the pitch and the ball was sent upfield towards Tidiane Sane. Blayney saved his initial effort, but the ball hit the Senegalese midfielder and bounced back into the net.

Jeffrey attempted to remedy things by throwing Curtis Allen into the action for his debut, quickly followed by Damien Curran and then Kevin McHugh in an attempt to get the away goal that would make it all to play for in the second leg.

It was, however, Randers who added to the scoring.

Berg outpaced Aidan O’Kane on the left and drew Blayney before setting up captain Marc Nygaard for a tap-in 11 minutes from time and, after regaining possession quickly after the restart, the Danes killed off the tie as Kasper Lorentzen went one-on-one with Blayney to finish.

It is, however, a result that Jeffrey — despite his hugely competitive nature — is unlikely to lose much sleep over. The main priority for the Blues is preparing for the Irish FA Premiership campaign on August 8 and trying to wrestle the Gibson Cup back from Glentoran’s grasp.

RANDERS: Ellegaard, Ahmed, Lorentzen, Addy, S Pedersen, Grahn, Berg, K Pedersen, Nygaard, Sane, Fenger. Subs: Beckmann for Grahn (73 mins), Olsen for Sane (73 mins), Damborg for K Pedersen (82 mins), Friis, Olesen, Friberg da Cruz, Jepsen.

LINFIELD: Blayney, Ervin, Douglas, Bailie, O’Kane, Mulgrew, Garrett, Burns, Lowry, Carvill, McAllister. Subs: Allen for Lowry (62 mins), Curran for Burns (69 mins), McHugh for McAllister (74 mins), Addis, Harkness, Tomelty, Gallagher.

Referee: Stephen Studer (Switzerland).