The leaders were 3-0 up by half-time thanks to three goals in seven minutes at the end of the first period, with Marwin Ogunjimi grabbing the first after 37 minutes and Jelle Vossen bagging a brace.

Ivan Leko pulled one back after 59 minutes but Lokeren could not make any further inroads.

A hat-trick from substitute Oleg Iachtchouk helped Cercle Brugge twice come from behind to beat St Truidense 4-2.

Pape Camara's second-minute opener was cancelled out by Bernt Evens two minutes later, before Camara grabbed a second after 20 minutes.

Iachtchouk, on as a first-half replacement for Frederik Boi, levelled two minutes before the break, then scored again three minutes after the restart and completed his hat-trick just after the hour mark.

Goals from Rachid Farssi and Daniel Chavez gave Westerlo a 2-0 win over Lierse, who played more than an hour with 10 men after having Mattia Notari sent off.

Faris Haroun scored four minutes before the break as Germinal Beerschot won 1-0 at Eupen, who had Marcus Diniz dismissed late on.