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Bas Dost scored his 17th goal of the season as Heerenveen scored twice in two first half minutes to secure a 2-0 victory against Utrecht.

Dost netted with a header after 12 minutes and Jeffrey Gouweleeuw scored the second two minutes later as Heerenveen keep up their bid for a place in Europe.

The victory was enough to keep Heerenveen just outside the automatic European qualification places in fifth.

The defeat left Utrecht close to the bottom of the Eredivisie table and with relegation fears still very much on their minds.

The home side dominated the early play and won a free-kick from which Luciano Narsingh found Dost with 11 minutes gone.

But Utrecht goalkeeper Roberto Fernandez was equal to Dost's shot and managed to save his effort from close to the post.

But Heerenveen went ahead a minute later when Narsingh's corner from the right was headed into the corner of the goal by Dost for his 17th of the season.

The home side went further ahead two minutes later when Doke Schmidt set up Gouweleeuw and his half-volley from distance found the goal.

Heerenveen nearly went further ahead as Rajiv van de la Parra cut in from the left and shot with his right foot but the effort was just wide of the goal.

The home side continued to dominate but failed to carve out any more clear openings before half-time.

The second half was only 30 seconds old when Van de la Parra fired in a shot which forced Fernandez into a save, the keeper turning the ball around the post.

Narsingh set up Dost again with another corner from the right but Fernandez was on hand to tip the ball over the crossbar.

Heerenveen went on to dominate the second half but failed to carve out any more real chances and had to settle for two goals.

Utrecht were unable to really test the home side's defence and as a result the defeat leaves them too close to the relegation zone for comfort.