Nancy lifted themselves out of the Ligue 1 relegation zone by a point with a much-needed 2-1 win at Caen.
Lossemy Karaboue gave the visitors an early lead and Salif Sane slotted home a second goal 10 minutes after half-time.
Benjamin Nivet quickly pulled one back from the penalty spot but Caen were unable to find an equaliser.
Nancy got off to an ideal start with an opener inside three minutes, and from Caen's corner.
The visitors broke away, led by Daniel Niculae and Djamel Bakar, and the former set up Karaboue to fire the ball past keeper Alexis Thebaux into the top corner.
Romain Hamouma had a chance to equalise after being played in by Frederic Bulot, but his lob drifted just off target.
The same two players were involved in an even better chance in the 17th minute, Bulot's snap-shot parried by Guy N'Dy Assembe before Hamouma somehow failed to hit the target from the rebound.
Karaboue turned provider for Nancy's next chance when he picked out overlapping full-back Jean Calve, who was denied by Thebaux with Niculae better placed.
The second goal arrived in the 55th minute when Reynald Lemaitre sent a free-kick to the far post and Sane slotted past Thebaux from close range.
Caen hit straight back when N'Dy Assembe pulled down substitute Kandia Traore and was unable to keep out the ensuing penalty from Nivet, despite getting a hand to the ball.
But they were unable to carve out a chance to equalise and Nancy could have restored their two-goal margin had Niculae's low shot, having been teed up by Bakar, found the other side of the post.
