After Ajax cut the gap down to six points with a 6-2 demolition of Sparta Rotterdam on Friday, PSV failed to turn in a similarly dominant performance.

Indeed, they needed a Timmy Simons penalty six minutes from the end to secure all three points and send Willem to the foot of the table.

Heerenveen lost ground in the battle for second place as they were held to a 2-2 draw at 10-man Heracles Almelo.

Roy Beerens put Gertjan Verbeek's side ahead after 18 minutes but Garcia Gonzalo equalised two minutes later.

Miralem Sulejmani re-established the lead on the half-hour mark and that is how it stayed until the 80th minute, when Heracles substitute Robbert Schilder levelled.

Rahim Ouedraogo was dismissed with eight minutes left but Heerenveen could not take advantage.

Excelsior lifted themselves off the bottom of the table with a 1-0 win at NEC Nijmegen.

Geert den Ouden scored the only goal of the game in the 71st minute as the Rotterdam side leapt to 15th in the standings.

Roda JC beat FC Twente 3-1 to leapfrog their opponents into seventh.

Roland Lamah (24) and Willem Janssen (32) put Roda two goals up before Blaise Nkufo put one back within a minute.

But substitute Dieter van Tornhout, who had only been on the pitch two minutes, netted after 62 minutes to make the points safe for Roda.

Sunday's games see De Graafschap host NAC Breda, FC Groningen welcome AZ Alkmaar, VVV Venlo travel to FC Utrecht and Feyenoord take on Vitesse Arnhem.