Andreas Lasnik netted a penalty after Looms saw red, but a double from Everton and a penalty from Willy Overtoom put Heracles in control by the break. Everton then wrapped up his hat-trick and, even though Denis Hililovic pulled one back for Willem, Overtoom and Kwame Quansuah added further goals for Heracles. John Goossens inspired NEC Nijmegen to a thumping 4-1 win over VVV-Venlo to guarantee the hosts a bottom-three finish. Goossens scored two and created two, adding to Lorenzo Davids' opener and then striking again after Bjorn Vleminckx had made it three as NEC put their opponents to the sword. Ahmed Musa grabbed a stoppage-time consolation for VVV from the penalty spot, but the defeat left them with no chance of getting out of the bottom three with four games to go. ADO Den Haag moved into the top four of the Eredivisie table with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Vitesse Arnhem. Danny Buijs scored the only goal of the game after 28 minutes, helping his side leapfrog AZ Alkmaar into fourth place. Excelsior failed to boost their Eredivisie survival hopes after being held to a goalless draw by De Graafschap. Both sides went into the match with relegation concerns but it is the hosts under greater threat, occupying the third drop spot and seven points off safety before the match. They had the better of the action but could not find a way past De Graafschap, who are 14th but eight points clear.
