Toulouse boosted their hopes of preserving their Ligue 1 status after beating Montpellier HSC 1-0 at home as only goal difference now keeps them in the relegation zone.

It was the visitors who started the better of the sides and Montpellier went close after 10 minutes when Morgan Sanson fired narrowly over the bar.

Another 12 minutes would pass before Toulouse fashioned their first chance, with Wissam Ben Yedder curling just wide of the post on 22 minutes.

Jean-Daniel Akpa-Akpro came close for the hosts once more on the half-hour mark, but it proved a sign of things to come as Oscar Trejo converted Ben Yedder's cross before the break to earn a half-time lead.

The 2012 Ligue 1 champions pressed for an equaliser regularly throughout the second half, with Kevin Berigaud going close on 58 minutes but finding himself denied by Geoffrey Jourdren.

The visitors began applying the pressure in the final quarter, with Berigaud and Mathieu Deplagne going close within two minutes of each other to raise the element of doubt for Toulouse.

Unperturbed, Toulouse carried on in the same vein and nearly secured the victory on 80 minutes when Trejo's long-ranger was expertly tipped away by Jourdren.

They spurned a host of chances to kill off the contest toward the end, but the misses would not prove costly as the hosts boost their survival hopes.