As the top four chase this season's title it seems that at least one of them has to slip up each weekend to keep things interesting. And last weekend was no different, as PSV opened up a gap on second placed Twente and FC Groningen left themselves just holding on to the top four.
Utrecht and Heracles kicked off the weekend on Friday night with goals at either end of the game meaning both sides left with a share of the spoils as the match ended 1-1. Ricky van Wolfswinkel's third minute goal for Utrecht looked set to end their run of three straight draws, but Ellery Cairo's back heel found the back of the net with just a minute left to earn his side an invaluable point in their battle to avoid the drop.
Groningen missed the opportunity to go third and now find themselves four points adrift of third placed Ajax after a heavy defeat at home to Roda JC, losing 4-1. Mads Junker was the star of the show, scoring three of Roda's four goals. His first came in the 16th minute, and he added his second and third in the 62nd and 71st minutes respectively, bringing his tally for the season to 13.
Andrea Granqvist missed the chance to pull one back after 83 minutes when he saw his penalty saved, but Nicklas Pedersen made it 3-1 five minutes later. However Bolidiszar Bodor restored his side's three goal lead in injury time and wrapped up an impressive win for Roda.
Alkmaar scored one in each half to comfortably beat Heerenveen and keep alive their hopes of finishing in the top four. Pontus Wernbloom headed home Rasmus Elm's corner on the half hour mark, and in the 68th minute Hector Moreno made it two after pouncing on a loose ball after Koblein Sigthorsson's free kick had been well saved to ensure that all three points went home with AZ.
Two of the bottom three met on Saturday in the form of Excelsior and bottom club Willem II Tilburg, but it wasn't the closely thought battle that some might have hoped it would be, with the hosts running out 4-0 winners. Geert Arend Roorda scored the only goal of the first half, but he added his and his side's second from the spot not long into the second half. Late goals in the last ten minutes from Nayib Lagouireh and Guyon Fernandez made it 4-0 and now leave Excelsior just three points behind 15th placed Feyenoord.
PSV earned what turned about to be an easy three points as they beat visiting NAC Breda 4-1. A trip to Eindhoven is always a daunting prospect for a club, but NAC didn't make it any easier on themselves as they were down to ten men after just fifteen minutes when Nemanja Gudelj received his second booking. Balazs Dzsudzsak then put the hosts ahead just 10 minutes later.
However it was Breda who struck next to make it 1-1 through Anthony Lurling, however this was short lived as PSV once again regained the lead straight from kick off with a move both started and finished by Jermanin Lens. It was all the home side from then on as Ola Toivonen and Francisco Rodríguez got on the score sheet in the last twenty minutes to make it 4-1.
PSV's win meant Twente also needed to take all the points when they hosted NEC, however they could only manage a 1-1 draw in Enschede meaning the league leaders have now opened up a two point gap on the defending champions. And it was the champions who conceded first as Niki Zimling fired Nigmegen ahead from the edge of the area; although this was one of very few sights of goal the visitor's were to have. The lead lasted twenty minutes before Emir Bajrami made it 1-1, and despite a second half onslaught on the NEC goal that is how it stayed.
Ajax took full advantage of Twente's draw with a 1-0 win over VVV Venlo in front of a once again packed Amsterdam Arena, and are now within three points of second place. Mounir El Hamadaoui grabbed the only goal of the game after just 11 minutes, his 13th of the campaign, and Venlo keeper Kevin Begois did well to keep it at just one, especially after the dismissal of Ken Leemans sixteen minutes from time. Despite this the game remained 1-0 and may prove to be a very important win in Ajax's season.
Europa chasing ADO Den Haag denied Feyenoord a first away win of the season as they scored two late goals to grab a point and make it 2-2. 18 year old Luc Castaignos continued to impress for Feeyenoord as his opener in the 30th minute, and second just nine minutes later, gave his side a 2-0 lead at half time.
This remained the case right up until the 81st minute when Den Haag's Charlton Vicento netted to make it 2-1. And in the 85th the ever impressive Dmitry Bulykin made it 2-2 to get a well earned point for his side and leave Feyenoord just three point above the drop.
Vitesse took full advantage of Feyenoord's draw and leapfrogged them in the table with a 2-0 win over Graafschap. Second half goals from Bonno Wilfried and Nemanja Matic gave Vitesse the win which now sees them level on points with both the Rotterdam strugglers and Heracles.