Nice were looking to close the gap on Marseille to just one point when they took on Reims at the Stade Municipal du Ray this evening.
Les Aiglons had lost just once in 15 games before tonight, while Hubert Fournier's men had won only one of their previous 17 matches.
Valentin Eysseric's goal put the hosts in front early in the first half, before Renato Civelli finally put the home fans' nerves to bed with a header six minutes from time.
You can read how all the action unfolded below.
It's a thoroughly-deserved victory for the hosts, who dominated from start to finish. They go to within a point of third-aced Marseille, who made the trip to the capital to play Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday.
We're going to have three minutes of injury time at the Stade du Ray.
Bautheac gets totalled by Golombard, gifting him another chance to deliver the ball into the box. Nice have looked dangerous from set pieces all evening and this time Civelli gets in front of his marker to help the ball on its way into the net. Great header! Nice look home and dry now!
GOAL! Nice 2-0 Reims (Civelli)
SAVE! Great interplay by Nice yet again and this time Bruins shoots low at Agassa. He was setp up by Eysseric, but the Togolese stopper makes another decent save to keep his side in the game.
Nice's passing has been easy on the eye this evening. They knock it around nicely at the back, but as ever it's the final third where it needs to count. The final ball hasn't necessarily been bad, but they'd surely have hoped to break the visitors down more often tonight. Still well in control though.
REIMS SUBSTITUTION: Nicolas de Preville makes way for Christopher Glombard.
Apologies if everything went bold then. A manual refresh will correct the problem.
REIMS SUBSTITUTION: Antoine Devaux is coming on to replace Bocundji Ca.
Nice are already beginning to find more space with the numerical advantage. A free kick is swung to the back post for Civelli, but his header back across goal is cleared well by Weber.
RED CARD! Reims are reduced to 10 men for a second bookable offence by Mandi. Pejcinovic reacted theatrically following a challenge from the defender and the referee deemed it severe enough for punishment. An uphill task looks insurmountable for the visitors now.
NICE SUBSTITUTION: Neal Maupay replaces Alexy Bosetti.
REIMS SUBSTITUTION: Kamel Ghilas comes on for Diego.
Nice look comfortable, but cannot rest until they at least get a second goal. Reims have had two decent opportunities tonight. It's a dangerous game when protecting just the one-goal lead. There's still a long way to go until the final whistle at the Stade du Ray.
SAVE! Civelli gets his head to Bautheac's cross but Agassa is well placed to save. Chances at either end, this game's still alive...
CHANCE! Reims waste a great chance to equalise! Fortes is slipped in nicely by Courtet, but he delays his shot too long and allows Ospina to avert the danger!
This is the Dutchman's debut for Les Aiglons following his move in January. A former Feyenoord star, the 25-year-old spent last season with Excelsior, where he began his career in 2004.
NICE SUBSTITUTION: Luigi Bruins comes on to replace the injured Didier Digard.
It's been a slow start to the second half. Reims don't really look like mounting a challenge in this game. There is a break in play at the moment as Digard is on the floor and holding his back.
There's a bit of afters as Weber tries to make off with the ball after the ref had blown for a Nice free kick. Eysseric punched the ball out of his arms and the pair squared up to one another. A few other players got involved but the referee was quickly on the scene.
Anyway, back to the match. Nice resume play in the second half...
A side story: there was an old man pictured watching the game perched in a tree outside the stadium before the game. Well, he is now inside the stadium and speaking on a microphone to rouse the home supporters. He looks like Father Christmas and is dressed not too unlike him. So this is where the old man hides the other 364 days of the year...
The stand-out performers in the first 45 would have to be Eysseric and Digard. The 20-year-old attacker has caught the eye in the final third, while the former Middlesbrough midfield man has been instrumental in the middle of the park. Bautheac and Bosetti are also playing well, but have missed chances to put their team further in front.
This game isn't the only European action with which Sports Mole are providing you tonight. No, we also have live commentary of Freiburg vs. Frankfurt in the Bundesliga. It's currently 0-0 in that one.
Meanwhile, the visitors had four attempts at goal but have so far failed to trouble David Ospina. Their best chance fell to Gaetan Courtet, but he fired well over after being set up nicely by Nicolas de Preville.
Claude Puel's men finished with 68% possession in the first half. They had eight attempts at goal, with half of them being on target.
The hosts hold the advantage at half time, but they may be disappointed not to have added to it. Bautheac and Bosetti have both had decent opportunities to extend Les Aiglons' lead, but Reims remain in the game at just one goal down.
HALF TIME: Nice 1-0 Reims
Digard has been all over the pitch for Nice. He's been brilliant so far.
With five minutes to go until half time the hosts are still leading, and have been good value for it. They should probably be further in front.
Nice are playing keep ball again. The crowd are cheering every touch, which is brought the an end by the referee's whistle signalling a free kick for Nice.
CHANCE! Brilliant work down the left once more from Eysseric, who cuts the ball back superbly for Bosetti. The 19-year-old finds himself around 18 yards out, but being closed down quickly. He ends up slicing a first-time shot wide of Agassa's far post.
Nice are no longer able to walk through their opponents as they did in the opening 15 minutes. Reims are slowly establishing themselves in this contest, but still it's the hosts who remain firmly in control.
Krychowiak tries an audacious effort from distance, but Ospina watches his tame effort bounce wide.
Eysseric is a bag of tricks with nifty footwork. He's been a livewire so far tonight, but Reims are beginning to see more of the ball. Still, Nice have had 71% possession.
SAVE! Agassa pulls off a wonderful stop to keep his team's deficit at one! Pejcinovic rose highest to meet Bautheac's corner, but the Togolese stopper flung himself to his left before palming away.
CHANCE! Bautheac is clean through on goal at the other end, but his chip past Agassa was a poor and went wide. He should really have made it 2-0 there.
SHOT! Just a warning for Nice as Courtet blazes over the bar from inside the area. Fortes's cross was flicked back nicely by De Preville for the 24-year-old striker to run onto.
Eysseric and Digard have been brilliant so far. In fact, most of Nice's attack have. There could be plenty of goals in this one. Their defence has been untested as yet.
Nice claims for handball as Bautheac's cross seems to hit Mandi on the arm inside the area, but that would have been a harsh one to give.
Tacalfred is penalised for a trip on Bosetti. Eysseric steps up and sends the keeper the wrong way, dispatching it into the top right corner. This could be a long night for the visiting fans. Nice are on top and leading!
GOAL! Nice 1-0 Reims (Eysseric)
PENALTY FOR NICE!
SAVE! Another good move from the home side as Eyserric shoots at goal, but Agassa is equal to it. Great start by Claude Puel's men, they have assumed control from the off.
Good move by Nice. They look very assured in possession and are not afraid of the ball. Bosetti is played in down the left with a lovely flick by Bautheac, but his ball into the box isn't quite good enough.
Nice knock the ball around the back, giving everyone a touch. They venture forward but eventually lose the ball. Diego gets down their right-hand side and drives a ball into the box, but it is cleared by the Nice defence.
Reims get this game underway...
Right, the players are making their way onto the pitch. We're just moments from kickoff at the Stade du Ray.
And some from Reims's 1-1 draw with St Etienne.
Here are some highlights of Nice's 1-0 win over Bastia in their previous match, courtest of .
Reims have won just one of their last 17 previous engagements. They have an uphill task tonight, that's for sure.
Nice have managed 24 goals at home this season; join second best behind Lorient (25) with Marseille and Lyon.
Meanwhile, Reims' solitary triump on their travels this season was against Nancy two weeks ago. Otherwise, they have lost eight and drawn three. They've also struggled for goals on the road, notching just seven for the entire campaign so far.
The home side have lost just twice in their last 15 games. An impressive record, which includes a win over Paris Saint-Germain and a 2-2 draw at the Stade Velodrome. They have lost twice at home this season.
REIMS: Agassa, Mandi, Tacalfred, Weber, Signorino, Ca, Krychowiak, De Preville, Fortes, Courtet, Diego
NICE: Ospina, Civelli, Kolodziejczak, Pejcinovic, Puel, Digard, Abriel, Eysseric, Anin, Bautheac, Bosetti
Let's give you the teams right away...
Good evening! Welcome to Sports Mole for live coverage of Ligue 1. Tonight we're at the Stade Municipal du Ray for Nice's clash with Reims. It's an important fixture at both ends of the table, with the hosts chasing the top three and the visitors battling relegation.
