An opening minute strike from Cheikh Tioté was all that Roda JC would need to edge out visiting Heerenveen 1-0 on Thursday night.

Michael Bradley went the distance in midfield, picking a late yellow card that will see him miss the final game of 2007 against Feyenoord.

While those at the Parkstad Limburg were still settling in their seats, Tioté rose highest to nod in a ball blooped into the area by Jeanvion Yulu-Matondo.

Gerald Sibon nearly responded quickly for the visitors, only to put his firm 12th minute header just wide.

Willem Janssen made a 19th minute bid to double Roda's lead with a sizzling volley from the edge of the area, but Brian Vandenbussche was equal to the task.

In the 40th minute, Jakob Poulsen sidestepped a defender to cross from the right, but Sibon's clinical downward header was cleared off the line.

Sekou Cissé spurned a golden chance for the 2-0 in the 56th minute by somehow managing to sky over a yawning net when picked out open at the far post by Anderlecht loan item Roland Lamah.

Heerenveen's rally task became more difficult at the hour as Michel Breuer was shown red for a reckless flying kick on Lamah.

Apart from a couple of long range near misses, the Frisians never looked like scoring and were forced to chalk up a second consecutive defeat.

Scoring
RJC - Cheikh Tioté 2 (Jeanvion Yulu-Matondo) 1'

Line-ups
RJC - Bram Castro; Boldizsár Bodor, Jan-Paul Saeijs, Davy de Fauw, Pa Modou Kah, Roland Lamah, Jeanvion Yulu-Matondo, Marcel Meeuwis, Cheikh Tioté, Sekou Cissé (Dieter van Tornhout 86'), Willem Janssen, (Andres Oper 78')

HEER - Brian Vandenbussche; Calvin Jong-A-Pin, Henrico Drost, Michael Dingsdag, Jakob Poulsen, Michel Breuer, Michael Bradley, Thomas Prager (Miralem Sulejmani 20'), Danijel Pranjic, Afonso Alves (Roy Beerens 77'), Gerald Sibon (Radoslaw Matusiak 78')