VVV Venlo gave their Dutch Eredivisie survival hopes a major boost with a 4-1 thrashing of UEFA Cup hopefuls FC Utrecht on Sunday.The visitors recorded only their second away win of the season against opponents who played for most of the game with 10 men to move three points clear of bottom club Willem II.

A brace apiece from Sandro Calabro and Jason Oost settled the contest, but the turning point came in the 16th minute when Tim Cornelisse was sent off for a professional foul.

Calabro netted the resulting penalty to open the scoring and it proved a one-sided encounter from then on until Randy Wolters' consolation a minute from time.

Feyenoord kept their faint title hopes alive with a 1-0 win over 10-man Vitesse Arnhem to move up to third, level on points with second-placed Ajax and nine behind leaders PSV Eindhoven.

Jonathan de Guzman scored the winner on the stroke of half-time, while Paul Verhaegh was sent off for Vitesse in stoppage-time.

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