It was a season of ups and downs for Le Havre, and one that ended with bad-tempered and chaotic scenes as they lost to AC Ajaccio in the play-offs.
Oswald Tanchot's side lost on penalties to the Corsicans after a dramatic tie at the Stade Francois-Coty. They had travelled to the Mediterranean island only for the game to be postponed at the last minute after their bus was attacked outside the ground and then broke down.
The Normandy side flew back home, and then returned 48 hours later to finally play the game. It ended in an incredible 2-2 draw after extra time, with both sides finishing with nine men. Le Havre, who had been ahead until conceding an equaliser in the fifth minute of added time in extra time, ended up losing in the shoot-out.
That meant Le Havre were denied a crack at promotion in a two-legged tie with Ligue 1 strugglers Toulouse. They are now preparing for a 10th consecutive season in the second tier, which is all a massive anti-climax after the way they had ended the regular season.
Le Havre had been hoping for a sustained promotion push and started with four straight wins, but they failed to keep that form going and by the end of March their hopes of going up appeared over.
A pitch invasion by angry fans came at the end of a home defeat against struggling local rivals Quevilly-Rouen at the end of March, and soon after the club were rocked by the sudden death of youth starlet Samba Diop. But in adversity, Tanchot's side went on a stunning run of six wins and a draw in their last seven league games, before beating Brest in the first play-off game.
In the end their efforts were in vain, but again Le Havre had a strong defensive record, while they lost just once at home at the Stade Oceane all season. Jean-Pascal Fontaine and Alexandre Bonnet were influential once again, while Jean-Philippe Mateta starred with 17 league goals on loan from Lyon. Zinedine Ferhat was superb, the Algerian producing an incredible 20 assists. Le Havre will do well to keep him for another season in Ligue 2.
