Charles Kazlauskas took advantage of a slid up to midfield, notching a goal and an assist as TOP Oss beat up on visiting MVV Maastricht 4-1 on Friday night.

Tony de Groot hopped off the bench to score twice as the home team pulled to within a point of the period lead with one game to play before the fourth promotion playoff berth of the season is handed out.

Kazlauskas, taking advantage of being pushed up the right side in a rare 4-4-2 set, had the game's earliest good chance. The American struck well from the right channel, but could only find the outside edge of the net's near upper 90.

The match remained scoreless through the break, with TOP keeper Wilko de Vogt forced to made big stops on Ebou Sillah on either side of intermission.

The hosts finally got on the board eight minutes after halftime, with defensive midfielder Dirk Schoofs nodding home a knocked-on cross from the right at the far post.

Only 12 minutes after coming onto the pitch, De Groot then made it a quick pair thanks to a Kazlauskas helper. The Wisconsin native flicked the striker in alone for a shot MVV netminder Serge van den Ban could only deflect on its way into the cage.

In the 76th minute, Kazlauskas added a spectacular third by lashing home a stunning side-kick volley off Bart van Hintum's serve from the left.

De Groot bagged his second of the night on an easy keeper rounder two minutes later, leaving a fantastic long strike from Jupiler League top gun Gunter Thiebaut in the too little and too late file.

TOP will now get ready for a major Friday night scrape at Stormvogels Telstar, who stand second on goal differential in the period with a game in hand, but lead for the prize because leaders RKC Waalwijk have already qualified for the postseason.

Scoring
TOP - Dirk Schoofs 4 (Revy Rosalia) 63'
TOP - Tony de Groot 3 (Charles Kazlauskas) 65'
TOP - Charles Kazlauskas 5 (Bart van Hintum) 76'
TOP - Tony de Groot 4 (Leon van Dalen) 78'
MVV - Gunter Thiebaut 17 (Anthony Di Lallo) 80'

TOP - Wilko de Vogt; Yvo van Engelen, Leon van Dalen, Niek Ripson, Bart van Hintum, Charles Kazlauskas, Erik van der Ven, Dirk Schoofs, Revy Rosalia, Davy Zafarin (David Ririhena 90'), Dimitri Djollo [Tony de Groot 53' (Regilio Jacobs 90')]