Heracles moved five points clear at the top of the Eerste Divisie with a 5-0 thrashing of De Graafschap at the Polman Stadion on Friday evening. The hosts have now won every game they've played this season and are building something that feels different from the usual opening-month optimism.
It was N'djoli who opened the scoring, barely two minutes in, and by then the pattern was set. Abbas doubled the advantage before half-time, and De Graafschap never really found their footing. To be fair, the visitors had more possession, but possession without purpose is just passing the parcel.
The second half saw Heracles keep their composure. Van Gilst added a third in the 72nd minute, and N'djoli completed his brace shortly after. The penalty in the 90th minute was almost ceremonial — a fourth straight win for the hosts and a result that did not travel to make up the numbers for either side.
Heracles managed eight shots on target to De Graafschap's three, and took their chances with a precision that suggests they've worked on this. The visitors' 56 per cent possession meant nothing when they could not get a shot within range of the goal. And here's the thing — you can control the ball for 60 minutes and still not score.
At the other end, Heracles created 101 attacks compared to De Graafschap's 88, but it was the quality of their chances that separated them. The hosts hit the target eight times, while the visitors managed three. De Graafschap have not won since the opening day, and this result leaves them rooted to 19th place with just a single point.
Heracles sit top of the table with 12 points from four games, having beaten everything from Jong Utrecht to VVV Venlo in their last five outings. De Graafschap's run of three defeats in a row has turned into a season so far without a victory, and the pressure is beginning to settle on their shoulders.
