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by Ross Mackiewicz

SC Bastia have sprung to the top of Ligue 2 and opened up a four point lead over Reims after beating them by a solitary goal on Friday night.

With the game seemingly drawing to a stalemate, Wahbi Khazri’s 90th minute winner sent the Stade Armand Cesari into euphoria.

Les Bleus’ surge to the top of the table is down to their good run of form in the past two months. Ever since mid-December they have accumulated seven wins in their last eight, succumbing to just one defeat to Clermont who were leading the championship at the time. What makes the club’s rise all the more remarkable is that they only managed three wins in 13 games from the end of August to the beginning of December, putting them well and truly off the pace for a promotion place.

Their attack is currently the best – statistically – in the league by notching 39 goals. 32-year-old Toifilou Maoulida, a free transfer from Lens in the summer has been somewhat of a talisman. He has bagged 11 goals thus far and been ever present since his arrival. Veteran Jerome Rothen was also another summer recruit and he has been indispensible since arriving.

His experience is clearly rubbing on the team and is rolling back the years with some articulate play. The return of Abdoulaye Sadio from the African Cup of Nations has also been a welcome boost. The Guinean netted the winner against Monaco last Monday night and scored in three consecutive games prior to his international duty.

Another aspect in the club’s repertoire is their defence. They have conceded the least goals – 20 in total – the same amount as both Metz and Clermont. The eight clean sheets kept by goalkeeper Brazilian Macedo Novaes have proved to be invaluable, particularly away to the likes of Monaco Metz and Nantes.

Another clean sheet and another victory on Friday may just prove to be invaluable in the club’s quest to reach the higher echelons of French football and gain promotion to Ligue 1. In a tentative affair with Reims where chances were surprisingly few and far between, a freakish goal by Khazri in stoppage time gave the home side the spoils. The number 10 played nothing more than a hopeful looping ball into the box which totally caught goalkeeper Kossi Agassa unawares, floating tamely over his head and into the net to the bewilderment of his peers.

Meanwhile, Clermont who had been on top of the table for so long succumbed to yet another defeat, this time to the hands of Tours. Mana Dembele had given them the lead with 20 minutes remaining but a Charley Fouman own goal and Med Gheriani winner in the 93rd minute completed an unlikely comeback.

Bastia sit four points clear of Reims and five ahead of Clermont – although they have played one extra game than those two clubs.