Valence secured a narrow victory on the road against Draguignan in the French Cup on Saturday, finishing 25-32. The result keeps their campaign alive despite the visitors having to work hard to close out the game. Draguignan held on for a while but could not stop the visitors from pulling away in the final stages.
Valence have been inconsistent lately, picking up one win and three losses in their last five games. They came from behind to beat Ponto-Compo twice in May but lost narrowly to another side. That form carried into this cup tie, where they found themselves trailing for much of the contest.
And here's the thing about the second half: Valence changed their approach to match Draguignan's physicality. They were dominant in the air from set plays, using their height to trouble the home defence. Draguignan switched off at the back periodically, and Valence punished those lapses.
To be fair, Draguignan made the difference in the opening quarter, leading comfortably before Valence settled down. But the visitors ended a barren spell of scoring in the final period, grabbing momentum when it mattered most. They held on grimly as Draguignan pushed for a comeback.
The win moves Valence closer to the knockout stages, though they still have work to do. Draguignan remain in the hunt as well, but the visitors showed they can handle pressure away from home.