Protecting a rare three-match unbeaten run, Le Havre dealt with the best of the early pressure in the 12th minute, when Odsonne Edouard used his strength to hold up the ball inside the visitors’ box, before squaring to Florian Thauvin, whose effort was saved firmly by the foot of Lionel Mpasi.
The home side continued to apply the pressure, and Thauvin was the target of a deep Matthieu Udol cross minutes later, but his cushioned volley dropped wide.
Approaching the 30-minute mark, Le Club Doyen had their first real chance when Issa Soumare latched onto a through ball and cut inside well, but failed to test Robin Risser.
But Lens were soon back on top, as Malang Sarr had an effort from distance batted away by Mpasi, before Udol combined brilliantly with Adrien Thomasson, only to slice the ball when in perfect shooting range.
The away side looked to have made it to half-time without conceding, only for Udol to try another cross to the back post in added time, allowing Ruben Aguilar to succeed where Thauvin failed, beating Mpasi with a side-foot volley for his first of the season.
Pierre Sage’s side have won all 12 league fixtures they have taken the lead in this season, but they were having to work to keep that run going after the break, as Sofiane Boufal’s free-kick found an unmarked Arouna Sangante, whose header had to be clawed away by Risser.
The Lens goalkeeper was his side’s hero again just after the hour mark, when he was equal to another Soumaré strike. Those saves looked all the more crucial when Thomasson pounced to make it 2-0, only for VAR to overturn it, spotting a handball by Wesley Saïd when failing to execute a bicycle kick in the build-up.
Said tried to make amends in the final 10 minutes but couldn’t put either of his two efforts on target, either side of the hosts enduring a scare when Fode Doucoure’s long-range drive deflected narrowly wide.
12 minutes of added time provided sufficient time for late drama, but in the end, one goal was enough for Les Sang et Or to put defeat to Marseille behind them and win a ninth league game in their last 10, and inflict a first loss at Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Le Havre since 2016.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Matthieu Udol (RC Lens)
