Belgium round-up: Brugge keep a grip

Club Brugge KV maintained their stranglehold at the top of the Belgian First Division at the weekend thanks to a 4-2 defeat of R. Standard de Liège.

Simons landmark
Andrés Mendoza put the home side ahead early on and the game was virtually all over by the half-hour mark when Timmy Simons - playing his 100th consecutive game for the club - and Nastja Ceh scored in quick succession. Ol-Martin Aarst pulled one back but Gert Verheyen made victory certain, steering in on 50 minutes.

Solid Lierse
K. Lierse SK protected second-place, albeit 14 points behind Brugge, by comfortably defeating KV Mechelen 3-0 with a goal in the first half from Stein Huysegems and two after the break from Arouna Kone and Karel Snoeckx.

Top-class Boffin
Third-placed K. Sint Truidense VV kept in touch at the business end of the table by edging a 1-0 win against KVC Westerlo thanks to a goal on 17 minutes from Danny Boffin.

Kaiper returns
There was late drama at the Daknamstadion where Sambegou Bangoura's 89th-minute goal seemed to have rescued a point for Sporting Lokeren St-Niklaas Waaslan against visitors KSK Beveren, who had taken a 34th-minute lead through Constant Kipre Kaiper. But Kaiper struck again with a beautiful lob in added time to restore Beveren's lead and secure victory.

Herpoel heroics
A fine performance from KAA Gent goalkeeper Frédéric Herpoel kept home side R. AEC Mons at bay meaning a goal from Alexandros Kaklamanos won Gent the game. RSC Anderlecht, meanwhile, ran out 4-1 winners against against R. Antwerp FC with Nenad Jestrovic hitting a hat-trick.

Mouscron thrashed
Elsewhere, KFC Germinal Beerschot Antwerpen overcame RAA Louviéroise 2-0, KRC Genk suffered a 3-0 reverse at the hands of KFC Lommelse SK while struggling R. Charleroi SC gave themselves a boost by brushing aside mid-table R. Excelsior Mouscron 5-0.