AS Saint-Etienne 4 - 2 FC Lorient

There is a swagger about Saint-Etienne at the moment as Ligue 1's most decorated club inch up the table following a spurt of four wins from five games. The only blot on their 2012 copybook coming in a 3-0 defeat to Lille in Week 21.

Since that reverse ASSE have seen off Rennes and Toulouse in quick succession without conceding a goal. So it may have come as a surprise when they fell behind early in the second-half.

First blood to Lorient

Following a goalless first-half Lorient were rewarded for their endeavor at the Stade Geoffrey-Guichard and took the lead early in the second period when Arnold Mvuemba wrong-footed Stéphane Ruffier in the home goal (49'). That kick started an incredible 40 minutes of football in which six goals were scored and Saint-Etienne laid down a marker for the remainder of the season.

Aubameyang shows his worth

Less than ten minutes after the opener, Les Verts were back on level terms when Aubameyang raced onto veteran midfielder Laurent Batlles' pass before sliding the ball past Lorient's reserve goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte, in for the suspended Fabien Audard who was sent off last week against Auxerre (56').

Aubameyang, who scored the winner against Toulouse on Saturday, is in the sort of form strikers dream about.  Buoyed by the fervent atmosphere, the 22-year-old was soon on the score sheet once more; heading home after the Lorient defence had allowed Bakary Sako time and space to pick out the Gabon international (68').

To their enormous credit Lorient responded magnificently and went a long way to silencing the home crowd when Mathias Autret got the better of Ruffier following a great ball from Mvuemba (75').

Grandstand finish

Saint-Etienne had scored four against Rennes on Saturday and up against another team from Brittany they refused to settle for the draw. Ivory Coast star Max Gradel started things off by releasing Joshua Guilavogui. The substiture then fired a fierce cross in to the area and it appeared that Sako had got the final touch but, in fact, Lorient's Bruno Ecuele Manga was adjudged to have turned the ball into his own net (88').

Just two minutes later Manga's Gabon teammate Aubameyang completed his hat-trick, his first in Ligue 1, after exchanging passes with the increasingly influential Gradel.

Another stirring win moves Saint-Etienne up to fourth, three points behind Lille and three ahead of Marseille, Rennes and local rivals Lyon. After two defeats in four days Lorient drop to 11th, just six points clear of the relegation zone.

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