Substitute Stefano Seedorf scored a late winner for Groningen as he capitalised on a comical mistake from Sparta goalkeeper Rene Ponk.

Sparta had looked like securing the point that would have lifted them out of the bottom three after a hard battle.

But Seedorf had other ideas as he netted the win to continue Groningen's fine opening to the term.

Groningen made a fast start to the match and should have gone ahead after just nine minutes, but Mark Jan Fledderus' shot from Luis Suarez's pass was poor.

Danny Schenkel's thumping header for Sparta from a free-kick flew over the bar, when he should have really done better.

The visitors should have broken the deadlock a minute before the half hour mark, when Koen van der Laak crossed for Fledderus, but Ponk saved expertly and Fledderus could only put the rebound over the bar.

Two minutes after the restart Suarez was put clean through by Van der Laak but his dink over the keeper went just wide.

Sparta though refused to be overrun and did offer some resistance as an attacking force when Haris Medunjanin cracked an effort just over the bar.

The home side then almost conjured a fortuitous opener when substitute Jason Oost's cross deflected off Bruno Silva, but an athletic save from Bas Roorda saw the scores remain level.

However, luck would desert the home side when they needed it most just as they looked like securing a point.

Silva's long ball was chased down by Suarez who refused to accept it was a lost cause.

Ponk looked like collecting the ball and stopping any danger but he somehow missed the ball which allowed Suarez to take his time before picking out Seedorf who did the rest.