So... can we all remember the story so far? Maybe time to skip back and review so I'll take it steady for the first few updates 
After a strong performance produced a marginal defeat at
Guingamp Ed decided to swap things around a bit for their first entrance into the French Cup – thanks to a draw which saw them facing National League opposition. He wasn’t confident enough to go for a totally youth oriented line-up but the defence was largely second string and he hoped that they would stand up to the test.
Beauvais looked to be in all sorts of trouble, if his scouts had done their homework correctly. Struggling to retain their league status, they were also in the grip of an injury battle with three of their key players out. Truth be told the defence was rarely troubled after Beauvais’ opener – once they’d gone behind it seemed that Bakayoko felt personally wronged and he set about putting things back the way they should be. Having set up Séga for the opener, and then run at the home defence over and over, he finally settled matters with a fabulous brace late in the game – the first a 20 yard drive into the top corner, the second a delightful little chip as the keeper came to close him down.
The draw for the next round gave them a trip to non-league opposition and Ed made a commitment to give his youngsters a proper run out for that one. In the meantime he went back to his strongest line-up for the visit of Nancy, 19th place in the table and really struggling. For Ed the main concern was discipline, going into the game he was up to eight players – from his usual sixteen man squad – who were one booking away from suspension.
Nancy hadn’t managed a win in four league games, and had taken a real beating in their last game, but had then bounced back with a big victory over non-league Cup opponents. Ed wasn’t sure exactly how they’d react, whether the Cup game would give them the confidence to lift their league form, or whether they’d slip back into struggling mode. After ten minutes or so he thought he knew, Bakayoko and Tchami had both gone close before Leyti slotted the opener – the visitors had yet to get into Pau’s third of the pitch and Ed sensed an opportunity for a big win.
He’d given Bertand Tchami the start, despite his earlier decision that Séga was the best partner for Bakayoko. Just back from his latest injury, Tchami looked determined to reclaim the place full-time and his breakaway goal had the Pau faithful on their feet as he sprinted through the back line and fired home from the edge of the area. There was no sign of a let-up for Nancy, by the break Valverde had still to make a save, even when Séga came on at half-time the assault continued Leyti eventually making it 3-0 with a confident header from Bindi’s corner.
The win kept Pau firmly in the top half of the table, with some fans even daring to suggest that promotion was not an impossibility, whilst Nancy sank even further into trouble at the other end of the league. Le Coadou, of course, was delighted and Ed could foresee a pleasant time over the winter break.
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