Ligue 1: Nolan Roux scored in each half as Lille coach Rene Girard bowed out in style with a 4-1 win over already-relegated Metz

Nolan Roux scored in each half as Lille coach Rene Girard bowed out in style with a comfortable 4-1 victory over already-relegated Metz at Stade Saint-Symphorien on Saturday night.

Florent Balmont, Idrissa Gueye and Roux fired the visitors into a quick-fire 3-0 lead just before the break and the latter added his second from the penalty spot after 68 minutes, before Jose Palomino claimed a late consolation for Metz.

The three points strengthened Lille's hold on eighth as Girard's men bounced back to winning ways following two losses - the head coach announcing he would step down in the summer earlier this week -

while the defeat was lowly Metz's fifth in a row as they ended the season on a poor note.

The hosts had a great chance to take an early lead had Falcon not sent Florent Malouda's cross into the side netting, but the rest of the half belonged to Lille.

The away side came close through two efforts from Roux but goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso denied him both times.

It took until the 39th minute for Lille to take the lead as Sofiane Boufal beat Jeremy Choplin and crossed toward Balmont on the far side of the penalty area, the winger took his time and shot low to beat Carrasso.

Just a minute later Boufal was the provider again as he dribbled the ball into the 18-yard box before he picked out Gueye, who slotted into the bottom corner.

Roux scored the third two minutes before the break as he capitalised on Chris Philipps' poor pass back and picked the ball up near the penalty spot before finishing the job from close range.

After a slow start to the second half, French striker Roux added his second and his side's fourth with 22 minutes left as he took the spot-kick after Romain Metanire brought down Divock Origi in the box.

Roux made no mistake as he fired to the left of the Metz goal and Carrasso dived to the right, leaving the keeper with no chance, to claim his 10th goal of the season.

Both sides had chances to score as the half wore on with Origi firing inches above the bar for Lille, before Modibo Maiga's header sailed over at the other end.

But it was the hosts who managed to pull one back after 83 minutes as Kevin Lejeune picked out Malouda and the former Chelsea man got his head onto a dangerous ball which stopper Vincent Enyeama held out before Palomino headed in to an empty net.