A seven-goal thriller hardly looked on the cards when Benjamin Huggel opened the scoring from the penalty spot after 26 minutes but two goals in quick succession from Eren Derdiyok (28 and 34) appeared to have the hosts out of sight.

Matar Coly hit back for Neuchatel, netting after 36 and 42 minutes to set the home fans on edge.

However, Carlos Alberto Carlitos restored Basle's cushion with his side's fourth after 44 minutes - the sixth goal scored in 18 breathless minutes.

Neuchatel threatened to continue the goal glut after the break when Julio-Hernan Rossi netted after 50 minutes, but both defences shut up shop thereafter as the hosts hung on for a nailbiting victory.

It also rained goals in Zurich as fourth-placed Grasshoppers posted a 4-2 win over bottom side Lucerne, who have just one point to their name after seven outings.

Davide Chiumiento handed Lucerne a shock lead from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time but the visitors suffered a setback after the break when Alain Wiss was dismissed for a second bookable offence after 59 minutes.

Grasshoppers immediately capitalised when Ricardo Cabanas netted just two minutes later, but parity lasted just 60 seconds before Jean-Michel Tchouga drilled home Lucerne's second.

Raul Bobadilla (66) got the hosts back on level terms while Yassin Mikari made it four goals in just eight minutes when he bagged Grasshoppers' third in the 69th.

Bobadilla finally killed off battling Lucerne when he netted his second six minutes from time.