Saturday 25 February 2017 23:24, UK
Utrecht came from two goals down to win 3-2 at Groningen to record a fourth win in the last five Eredivisie matches.
Bryan Linssen gave Groningen an early lead and sent the hosts into half-time with a 2-0 advantage when he latched onto a long pass up field and held off Utrecht captain Willem Janssen at the edge of the area to slot into the bottom corner.
The visitors hit back when Sebastien Haller headed in on 54 minutes before 18-year-old Giovanni Troupee levelled with 11 minutes left when he lashed in an angled drive and then midfielder Yassin Ayoub snatched a late winner after a swift counter attack.
Heerenveen moved up into fifth place after they beat 10-man Roda 3-0 at the Abe Lenstra Stadion to end a six-game winless run.
Roda had Mohamed El Makrini sent off in the 54th minute and after that the floodgates opened after defender Doke Schmidt broke the deadlock when nodding in a free-kick on the hour.
Henk Veerman added the second from close range in the closing stages and Reza Ghoochannej converted a penalty in stoppage time.
Sparta Rotterdam ran out 1-0 winners at out-of-form NEC Nijmegen to put some daylight between themselves and the dropzone.
Paco van Moorsel's goal on 33 minutes when he slotted in from the edge of the penalty area proved enough for all three points and a fifth straight defeat for the home side.
Excelsior remained second from bottom after Willem II won 2-0 at Stadion Woudestein.
Two goals in as many minutes just after the hour did the damage, defender Dico Koppers stabbing the ball in at the far post before Erik Falkenburg's near post header doubled the lead.
Excelsior finished the match with 10 men when substitute Danilo Pantic, who is on loan from Chelsea, was sent off in the final minute after picking up two yellow cards in the closing quarter-of-an-hour.
