Nevers is taken over by the mob
Bautista EZCURRA of Grenoble and Tornike MATARADZE of Nevers and Cleopas KUNDIONA of Nevers during the Pro D2 match between Grenoble and Nevers at Stade des Alpes on October 27, 2022 in Grenoble, France. (Photo by Romain Biard/Icon Sport via Getty Images)
Nevers is about as close to being smack bang in the centre of France as any city gets, a place which has known the odd disturbance or two since Julius Caesar claimed it for ancient Rome.
With the play-offs in the French Second Division coming nicely to the boil, last weekend’s arrival of a more traditional foe was always going to be a tasty affair.
Instead it proved to be perhaps the most mob-handed outbreak of lawlessness witnessed since Caesar, with the possible exception of the Second World War.
Grenoble, heading the procession of play-off contenders behind champions-elect Oyonnax, upset Mathieu Noirot to such an extent that the referee appeared to blitz all records in a veritable blizzard of yellow cards.
Monsieur Noirot binned five Grenoble players in a matter of 12 minutes during the second half. So many departed in such a short time that the Stade du Pre Fleuri, sited in the village of Sermoise-sur-Loire, must have run out of naughty chairs for the miscreants.
The first four went in eight minutes, reducing Grenoble to 11. Nevers were given two yellows of their own, a minor inconvenience during the course of enhancing their own promotion challenge with a 31-14 home win.
With Nevers up to fourth and Grenoble second, the prospect of their colliding again in the play-offs cannot be discounted.
Rumours that the hosts are extending their sin-bin just in case have yet to be confirmed…
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