Nice 3 - 1 Caen

Nice 3-1 Caen

Updated: May 17, 2008, 11:08 PM UK

NICE, May 17 (Ligue 1) - Nice finally gave their home fans something to cheer about as they stormed to their first win at the Stade du Ray since January 20.

David Hellebuyck opened the scoring in the 25th minute before Julien Toudic pulled Caen level on the stroke of half-time.

Nice took charge in the second half as a 56th-minute penalty from Ederson and Baky Kone's goal seven minutes from time completed the win.

Despite neither side having anything to play for, the game started brightly when Hellebuyck's shot was kept out of the top corner by the fingertips of Benoit Costil after just three minutes.

The hosts then missed another good chance after nine minutes when Anthony Modeste was one-on-one with Costil but failed to score.

Caen responded after 15 minutes when Nicolas Florentin fired a great volley on to the bar.

But with 25 minutes played Hellebuyck broke the deadlock in amazing fashion when he lobbed Costil from halfway line after the Caen keeper had inexplicably strolled off his goalline.

The sides went in level at the break when Toudic brought down a great cross and fired a shot past a helpless Lionel Letizi.

Kone fired into the side netting after 47 minutes as Nice came out fighting, then with 56 minutes played the hosts took the definitive lead when Cedric Hengbart was adjudged to have fouled Hellebuyck in the area.

Brazilian Ederson took the spot-kick, which went in despite Costil getting a touch on the ball.

The pace of the game dropped off thereafter but Kone made up for his earlier miss when he converted Hellebuyck's cross.