WITH Carcassonne firm favourites to retain top spot, Limoux and Pia are left to fight over the second ticket to automatic qualification for the play-off semi-finals.

Both teams pressed their case in the latest round. Pia, currently in second place, crushed fourth-placed but injury-hit Avignon 54-8 while Limoux got the better of Lézignan 36-18 in the Aude derby.

After taking a 16-2 lead at half-time, and with each side reduced to eleven men following a scuffle, Pia stepped up the pace with Hakim Miloudi, Lenny Chachoua and Pascal Fages all influential and evergreen Harrison Hansen leading by example up front.

But it was fullback Damien Huescar who stole the show as he went over for no fewer than five second-half tries and kicked four goals in what turned into a procession.

Miloudi, in a gesture of generosity, was already over the try-line when he handed the last try to his fullback.

Limoux, in third, beat eighth-placed Lézignan 36-18 in a match which Maxime Grésèque’s side might have been expected to win more easily.

But old rivalries die hard and Lézignan only faded in the last quarter after trailing 16-10 at the interval and closing the gap to 16-14 early in the second period.

After their humiliation by Carcassonne in the Lord Derby Cup final, Albi got back on track with a 50-10 victory in the derby at Toulouse.

With nine tries coming from nine different players and Robin Brochon landing seven conversions, Albi posted a half-century of points before Toulouse got on the scoreboard with tries from Lucas Hangard and Mathis Ferréol.

St Estève-XIII Catalan look certain to take the sixth and last play-off spot after beating bottom club St Gaudens 40-20.

With centre Clément Martin touching down twice, St Estève set up a 22-4 lead at the break.

Down to twelve men for part of the second half following the dismissal of halfback Amine Miloudi for repeatedly contesting the referee’s decisions, the Catalans held off a late surge by St Gaudens to which centre Jone Tuva contributed three tries.

Five days after their 43-26 defeat at Carcassonne on Tuesday, Villeneuve struggled also against Villefranche, one place below them in the table.

Though Villeneuve forward Dan Marjanovic scored the opening try, Villefranche kept pace with their hosts and emerged as 33-24 winners.

Results
Limoux 36 Lézignan 18
Pia 54 Avignon 8
St Estève-XIII Catalan 40 St Gaudens 20
Toulouse 10 Albi 50
Villeneuve 24 Villefranche 33
Bye: Carcassonne
Carcassonne 34 Villeneuve 26 (played Tuesday, April 14)

Fixtures
Saturday 25 April
Avignon v Carcassonne
Lézignan v Toulouse
Limoux v Villeneuve
Pia v St Estève-XIII Catalan
Villefranche v St Gaudens
Bye: Albi

Table
Carcassonne 46 pts
Pia 43 pts
Limoux 42 pts
Albi 38 pts
Avignon 38 pts
St Estève-XIII Catalan 30 pts
Toulouse 24 pts
Villeneuve 23 pts
Lézignan 22 pts
Villefranche 22 pts
St Gaudens 14 pts