HEINEKEN CUP: Clermont 43, Montauban 10CLERMONT kept their slim Heineken Cup qualification alive with a morale-boosting victory over French rivals Montauban.

Scrumhalf Pierre Mignoni grabbed a brace while Julien Malzieu, Loic Jacquet, Alexandre Audebert, Thomas Domingo and John Senio also scored in the seven-try rout at the Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin.

Clermont cannot win Pool One following Munster’s win over Sale Sharks but they have a remote chance of qualification should they beat Sale Sharks at Edgeley Park and other results go their way.

The hosts raced into the lead with the opening try after 82 seconds when Malzieu received Gonzalo Canale’s pass to finish a sweeping move.

Clermontnearly doubled their advantage in the tenth minute when Montauban outside-half Regis Lespinas saw his laboured kick charged down by Julien Bonnaire.The French flanker seemed destined to score before Julien Laharrague’s controversial tackle.

Italian referee Carlo Damasco waived away Clermont’s protests for a penalty try, but a minute later Jacquet coasted home.

Two minutes before the interval Mignoni exchanged passes with Anthony Floch to score in the right corner.

Alexandre Audebert clinched the bonus point in the 48th minute for Clermont before Mignoni, Domingo and Senio touched down before Johan Dalla Riva’s late consolation for the visitors.

CLERMONT AUVERGNE:Baby; Rougerie, Canale, Bai, Malzieu; James, Mignoni; Emmanuelli, Ledesma, Scelzo, Pierre, Jacquet, Bonnaire, Audebert, Vermeulen. Replacements:Fofana for Baby (45), Floch for Canale (17), Lozupone for Ledesma (76), Domingo for Scelzo (56), Etien for Bonnaire (69).

MONTAUBAN:Laharrague; Figueiredo, Paku, Jaouher, Cassin, Lespinas, Mitu, Del Boulbes, Shvelidze, Sa, Rolland, Frost, Clarkin, Boutaty, Soldan. Replacements:Culinat for Mitu (71), Adams for Sa (73). Sin Bin: Adams (74).

Referee:C Domasco (Ita).