Second division sides flying high

By Berend Scholten

Two second division sides lead the way in the promotion/relegation play-offs in the Netherlands at the halfway stage after the third round of matches.

Volendam victorious
FC Volendam assumed the leadership of Group A with a resounding 4-1 win at home to VVV Venlo, Charles Dissel scoring twice and Sebastiaan Steur and Maarten Woudenberg also finding the net. In the section's other game, Eredivisie side RBC Roosendal were held to a goalless draw at Stormvogels Telstar, leaving the top-flight team two points adrift of Volendam in the standings.

Emphatic win
In Group B, Helmond Sport moved to the summit with a resounding 5-0 win at home against ten-man FC Zvolle, Ivan Cvetkov scoring four times with Patrick Hobbelen getting the other. Eredivisie outfit De Graafschap lost 3-1 at home against Sparta Rotterdam, whose goals came from Davy de Fauw, Rahamat Mustapha and Danny Koevermans, leaving Helmond Sport on seven points, one more than Sparta.