Bastia safe in Ligue 1

Anthony Modeste starred as Bastia beat Montpellier 3-1 to secure their place in Ligue 1 for next season.

Anthony Modeste starred as Bastia beat Montpellier 3-1 to secure their place in Ligue 1 for next season. Modeste scored twice to secure the win after John Utaka had cancelled out Claudio Beauvue's opener for the hosts. The win lifted Bastia nine points clear of the drop zone and ensured they can relax for the final two games of the campaign. They went close early on when Walid Khazri got through on goal, but after holding off a challenge the striker could only shoot straight at Laurent Pionnier. It was not long before the hosts took the lead. Modeste was the creator and when the ball fell to Beauvue he sent a superb volley beyond Pionnier and into the top corner. Montpellier dragged themselves back into the game when Marco Estrada found an unmarked Utaka, who scored from six yards, but parity lasted a matter of seconds. The hosts went straight up the other end and Florian Thauvin delivered a pinpoint cross for Modeste, who headed beyond Pionnier to cut short the visitors' celebrations. Montpellier showed little sign of getting back on level terms in the second half and Souleymane Camara's effort early on which sailed over the bar was the closest they came to finding another equaliser. Instead their misery was complete when Bastia added a third with the only real chance of the second period. Jerome Rothen swung a corner into the area and Modeste escaped his marker to head beyond Pionnier and seal a comfortable win.