RKC Waalwijk enjoyed away-day joy on Friday, with their hard work on the road rewarded with a 3-1 victory over De Graafschap.
De Graafschap suffer defeat on home soil
RKC Waalwijk enjoyed away-day joy on Friday, with their hard work on the road rewarded with a 3-1 victory over De Graafschap.
The hosts broke the deadlock after 16 minutes through Michael de Leeuw, but RKC levelled before the interval as Frank van Mosselveld found the target.
Ard van Peppen then put the visitors ahead and, with De Graafschap pushing for an equaliser, they made sure of the points when Jochem Jansen put through his own net.
The win lifts RKC six points ahead of their opponents, who occupy the third relegation place with half the season gone.
Yuri Rose almost gave De Graafschap the perfect start but could only head De Leeuw's cross into the hands of keeper Jeroen Zoet. A carbon-copy chance at the other end saw Evander Sno pick out Mitchell Schet, who was denied by Joost Terol.
De Graafschap took the lead when Zoet parried Nenad Sreckovic's powerful shot straight to De Leeuw, who could hardly miss from close range.
Fumbling
Sreckovic was again involved 10 minutes later as Rydell Poepon had the chance to double the lead, Zoet this time equal to the effort.
But RKC were level seven minutes before the break when Sander Duits delivered a right-wing free-kick and the merest of touches for Van Mosselveld took the ball through the legs of Terol.
Both teams had chances early in the second period, Terol saving Van Peppen's low drive before Zoet had a let-off, fumbling a cross straight to Poepon whose chip drifted over the bar.
It was to prove a costly miss as Schet crossed and Van Peppen fired the ball into the far corner to leave Terol helpless and put RKC ahead.
Schet almost got on the scoresheet himself just a minute later when he met Rick ten Voorde's cross with a shot which was saved by Terol.
De Graafschap desperately sought an equaliser but were leaving themselves vulnerable at the back and Geoffrey Castillion almost punished them when he cut in from the left and forced a low save from Terol.
And Castillion's next foray forward ended with a cross which was diverted into his own goal by Jansen.
