Bastia down Reims

Bastia have defeated Reims 2-1 away from home in Ligue 1 to move up to 13th in the table.

The visitors went ahead at the Stade Auguste-Delaune II in the 21st minute when Ilan Aruajo Dall'lgna turned home Jerome Rothen's delivery from close range.

Sylvain Marchal came close to doubling Bastia's lead on the half-hour mark when he got on at the end of another Rothen delivery, but failed to keep his header on target.

Frederic Hantz's side continued to dominate proceedings and went 2-0 up just three minutes after the half-time interval, Florian Thauvin firing in from inside the Reims penalty box.

That sparked Reims into life and the home side began to get into the game, Odair Fortes, Gaetan Courtet and Nicolas Fauvergue all coming close.

Reims eventually halved the deficit on 63 minutes when Courtet turned home Diego's cross from close range.

Bastia were unlucky not to restore their two-goal advantage with nine minutes of normal time remaining when Anthony Modeste saw his left-footed shot come off the post and then saw his goal ruled out in the 90th minute because of offside.