Slovenian striker Tim Matavz struck a late double to put the gloss on struggling Groningen's emphatic 4-1 success over in-form Heracles Almelo in the Dutch Eredivisie.

Starting the evening second-bottom of the table, the home side were hit early when Bas Dost fired home in the 15th minute to give Europa League hopefuls Heracles the lead.

But the visitors, who had high hopes of maintaining the pressure on the division's top five, were quickly hauled back level when 18-year-old Leandro Bacuna netted his first goal of the season seven minutes later.

Groningen pushed ahead and went in front four minutes from the interval when Swedish defender Andreas Granqvist scored a rare goal from the penalty spot for a 2-1 lead.

The home side held firm in the face of Heracles pressure in the second period and made the game safe in the 71st minute through Matavz, who went on to double his tally eight minutes later.

The win moved Groningen up to 11th in the table and things will look even brighter after the two week Eredivisie break if the club can continue their revival when they travel to rock-bottom RKC Waalwijk.

For Heracles, who had gone into the game on the back of four successive league wins, there will also be the chance to get back on track in consecutive home games against strugglers Roda JC and Heerenveen.