European Rugby Champions Cup: Racing Metro Paris beat Ospreys 18-14 in Le Mans

Racing Metro Paris kept pace with European Rugby Champions Cup Pool Five leaders Northampton Saints with a 18-14 triumph against Ospreys in Le Mans on Saturday.

Playing their first match at the MMArena, Top 14 heavyweights Racing overcame the disappointment of drawing with the Welsh region last weekend to record a crucial victory.

With Northampton racing in 11 tries in a 67-0 thrashing of Benetton Treviso earlier in the day, the Parisian side entered their Round Four clash knowing victory was a must to keep their hopes of a Champions Cup quarter-final berth alive.

Juan Imhoff and Teddy Thomas both crossed the whitewash and fly-half Johan Goosen added five points from the tee, while Eli Walker's late try, added to Rhys Webb's earlier score, brought Ospreys within touching distance.

After being denied victory late on at the Liberty Stadium - a Josh Matavesi try in the dying stages earning a 19-19 draw for Ospreys - Racing coach Laurent Labit made six changes to his backline, with former Springbok Johan Goosen the lone man to retain his place.

Ospreys made the worst possible start to the game as scrum-half Webb was sin-binned for a tackle with just 11 minutes played and Goosen ensured the visitors paid the price as he slotted the penalty kick.

Racing pressed in a bid to make their personnel advantage count, but they were unable to force their way over the line.

However, the hosts did eventually wear the Ospreys defence down and it was Argentina wing Imhoff who raced over the line to clinch the first try of the match, with Goosen adding the extras.

Quick succession

A second for the hosts soon followed and it was Imhoff's fellow winger Thomas who dotted down to give Racing a 15-0 lead at the halfway stage.

If Ospreys made a slovenly start to the first half, Racing could be accused of the same error in the second period as Antoinne Classen was shown a yellow card.

As soon as Classen returned, scrum-half Maxime Machenaud was sent to the sin-bin and, unlike their opposition, Ospreys immediately made their numerical advantage pay.

Webb redeemed himself following his earlier sin-binning as he crossed in his seventh try of the season for Ospreys and Dan Biggar's conversion brought the visitors within eight points.

Goosen launched an audacious drop-goal attempt in a bid to extend Racing's lead, but when he missed the target Ospreys resumed their comeback bid.

Ashley Beck's beautifully weighted kick opened the door for highly-rated winger Walker to touch down and Biggar's conversion set up a grandstand finale.

With eight minutes on the clock Ospreys trailed by a solitary point, though, a moment of indiscipline as the clock turned red allowed Goosen to put the match to bed with a second penalty kick.

Despite being unbeaten Racing, with three wins and a draw, find themselves one point adrift of leaders Northampton, who lost to the Parisian side earlier in the tournament but have claimed three bonus points.