USAM Nîmes Gard — Dunkerque: 27:25, Starligue

USAM Nîmes Gard edged past Dunkerque 27:25 in the Starligue on Thursday evening. The match finished with the home side claiming all three points after a hard-fought contest. By then, the result had already shifted the table dynamics in the league.

Nîmes moved up to fourth place in the standings. They now sit on seven points from four games, with two wins and two draws. Dunkerque remain in the bottom half on one point, having drawn all three of their opening fixtures.

The home side came into this one with mixed recent form. They had lost to Montpellier but bounced back with a narrow win over Saran Loiret. And here's the thing, their defensive record has been steadier than their attacking output in recent weeks.

We had backed the home side at 60 per cent confidence before kick-off. The prediction held up, though not without nerves. Dunkerque's ability to grind out draws meant this one never felt straightforward.

The away side's inability to convert draws into wins has kept them rooted near the foot of the table. Three consecutive draws offer little momentum going forward. To be fair, they have not lost, but points on the board matter more than not losing.

Nîmes now have a one-point cushion over their nearest challengers in sixth place. The gap is small, but at home they showed they can close out tight games when it counts.