He didn't miss much, as usual one would be tempted to write for the Istrian players this season. A little mischief, time management and emotions in the second half when Gensoulen and his team had the ball +4 (14-11, 36th). But the result is there: Istres remains relegated before drawing a line under the championship until February. The plan concocted by Gilles Derot worked wonderfully in the first half. Padlock the left side of Aix to thwart the duo of future Nantes residents, Tarrafeta – Lagarde. PAUC then lost many balls, Romain Mathias even had 44% saves at the break. Enough to allow Istres to play their handball and their game in transition with a precious Folques in the “scratch” and in the finish (9-4, 20th then 11-9, 30th). But it was said that Istres would not succeed in achieving its long-awaited success before the holidays. Silent since the trip to Nîmes in mid-October, Tésorière and his team gradually lost track of the meeting under the leadership of Eliott Desblancs. A thunderous entry into play from the young Aix center half who logically equalized in an interval in the axis (16-16, 43rd). “We had to put on a little speed, make them move because they were solid in the central space. We had no doubt. We knew that this was going to be a very competitive match, that it was going to be played out on the pitch in the last seconds with the “necks…”“
