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Auxerre moved into provisional second place in Ligue 1 with a 2-0 victory over Le Mans at the Stade Léon-Bollée on Friday.
Jacques Santini, serving the first of a two-match touchline ban for abusing a referee saw his side register their fourth consecutive win to climb above Paris Saint-Germain and Bordeaux who play later this weekend.
However, it was the hosts that made the brighter start with both David Chiumiento and Diasuke Matsui going close before Edori Ekhesuihi saw his effort ruled out for offside on the quarter-hour.
Auxerre then took the lead minutes later when in-form Belgian striker Luigi Pieroni scored his fourth goal in as many games, drilling the ball low and hard beyond Yohan Pelé from Benoît Cheyrous lay-off.
Le Mans continued to press for a goal of their own and Cool was called on almost immediately to deny Brazilian striker Tulio De Melo and Yohann Poulard before James Fanchone and Matsui wasted presentable chances to draw the two sides level before the break.
The second half began in similar fashion with Le Mans monopolising possession and agains forcing Cool into action to preserve his side's advantage.
The Auxerre veteran denied Fanchone and Chiumiento again before the visitors' captain delivered the knockout punch.
Yann Lachuer, brilliantly out clear but Pieroni on the counterattack, cut inside the last defender and steered the ball beyonf Pelé to give the Bourgogne side an unassailable two-goal lead.
There was still time for Cool to deny Matsui again and also tip over a rocket of a shot from Frédéric Thomas in the dying seconds.
It was a 'Guy Roux-esque' display from Auxerre, who despite being dominated from start to finish, struck twice on the counterattack to register a flattering 2-0 win.
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