Heineken Cup: Racing Metro heap misery on struggling Edinburgh

Greig Laidlaw: Edinburgh stand-off had mixed day with the boot

Olly Barkley: Racing Metro fly-half pulled the strings

Tries from Juan Jose Imhoff and Eddy Ben Arous helped Racing Metro inflict a third defeat on Edinburgh in Pool 1 of the Heineken Cup.

The French side, who were beaten home and away by the same opponents in last season's pool stage, prevailed 19-9 at Stade Yves du Manoir - a result that effectively ends Edinburgh's qualification hopes.

Edinburgh, held scoreless during defeats against Saracens and Munster, did at least get their first points of the competition.

They only had to wait two minutes to break their duck, stand-off Greig Laidlaw slotting a penalty from a central position after Racing had been pulled up for entering a ruck from the side.

Laidlaw's opposite number Olly Barkley levelled in the 10th minute with a penalty of his own, this one awarded for Matt Scott's failure to roll away in the tackle.

Edinburgh's pack were in the ascendancy but Laidlaw twice went wide left in quick succession with penalty chances.

And Racing made them pay in the 19th minute when the ball was moved quickly through three pairs of hands to Argentina international wing Imhoff, who stepped inside to finish in the left corner.

Barkley missed the conversion but was back on target with a penalty on the half-hour to extend Racing's lead to 11-3.

Laidlaw's kicking woes continued with another short, wide penalty effort from close to the right touchline, although he was able to take an easier chance to bring a close to the first-half and cut Edinburgh's deficit to 11-6.

The Racing pack took increasing order as the second half progressed and Edinburgh's staunch defence was finally breached in the 60th minute when replacement prop Ben Arous went over after a catch-and-drive from a lineout.

Laidlaw added his third penalty in the 64th minute to bring Edinburgh back within a converted try but they were denied even a losing bonus point when replacement Maxime Machenaud sealed Racing's win with a late penalty.