Ligue 2 BKT: Stassin on fire for Sainté, Troyes take over Red Star

It's been two key match days in Ligue 2 BKT, as the season's key storylines are starting to take shape. AS Saint-Étienne have adapted perfectly to life back in the second tier, as they won over Reims and Amiens to keep top spot - with key man Lucas Stassin scoring four in his last three to kick-off his season. Troyes have taken second place after scintillating wins over Guingamp and fellow high-flyers Red Star - yet trouble brews for Montpellier, Bastia, and Grenoble in the relegation spots.

Saint-Étienne and Stassin on fire to keep top spot

It was thought that Lucas Stassin would be departing the club this summer, yet Saint-Étienne were determined to keep their man - and have been rewarded as the Belgian has scored four goals in his last three matches for Les Verts. He was on target twice against Stade de Reims last weekend, before scoring a solitary goal against Amiens on Tuesday evening to keep his side's unbeaten start to the season intact.

Troyes end Red Star's hot streak

It looked like nothing was going to stop Red Star in recent weeks, as Grégory Poirier's men won a historic four games on the bounce against Nancy (1-0), Pau (0-3), Annecy (1-0), and Guingamp (4-0) to see Les Audoniens rise as high as second place. But Troyes were also in outstanding form, and came to Stade Bauer to end Red Star's hot streak with a 3-1 win.

The side from the Northern Paris suburbs opened the scoring through an unlikely source when Mathieu Huard's overkick from close range rocketed into the back of the net. Yet, the side from the Aube region hit back with a slotted finish from former Red Star man Merwan Ifnaoui before Antoine Mille and Jarès Assoumou killed off the game and picked up an essential three points for the visitors.

Troubled times for Montpellier and Bastia

Promoted side Boulogne-sur-Mer completed a memorable, and somewhat historic win over former Ligue 1 McDonald's side Montpellier at Stade de la Mosson on Tuesday evening - as MHSC still struggle to come to terms with life in the second tier. Téji Savanier has come back to starting action for the Hérault outfit, and scored his first goal of the season in injury time - but it was too little too late. Christopher Julien's own goal put Boulogne in the driving seat just before half-time, with Amine El Farissi and Corentin Fatou adding goals to seal a memorable and important win for the Northern side. Former Stade Brestois man Jonas Martin is starting to make an impact for USBCO this season, he attempted 74 passes in this game, the highest total for a player in Ligue 2 BKT this season according to Opta.

Bastia could find themselves in troubled waters, letting up a two-goal lead in the 75th minute to lose 3-2 to Rodez to find themselves rock bottom in Ligue 2 BKT. Amine Boutrah opened the scoring for the hosts before Tom Ducrocq doubled the lead from the penalty spot just before the hour-mark. Yet Mohamed Achi managed to get Rodez back off the mark and into the game, with five minutes of madness seeing Mathis Magnin and Ibrahima Baldé turn around the result and condemn Bastia to their fifth defeat of the season. The Corsicans were one of the sides tipped to push on in the top half at the start of the season, but Bastia now have lost their last three games.

Ligue 2 BKT results:

Annecy 1–2 Nancy
Montpellier 1–3 Boulogne-sur-Mer
Bastia 2–3 Rodez
Amiens 0–1 Saint-Étienne
Le Mans 1–0 Grenoble
Guingamp 2–1 Dunkerque
Red Star 1–3 Troyes
Reims 4–1 Clermont
Pau 1–0 Laval