VVV Venlo cruised to easily their biggest win of the season with a 5-0 thrashing of Sparta Rotterdam.

Adil Auassar, Achmed Ahahaoui and Sandro Calabro (two) ensured the match was over as a contest before half-time.

And Kevin Van Dessel completed the rout 20 minutes from time in front of a crowd of just 7,000.

The home side took the lead after just six minutes when Ahahaoui whipped in a free-kick from the left which was met by Auassar's header into the top corner.

After 24 minutes Ahahaoui went from provider to goalscorer, picking up the ball 22 yards from goal and drilling a left-foot shot into the bottom corner.

Sparta desperately needed to regroup but when further behind just three minutes later.

Keisuke Honda's long-range shot was saved by Sparta goalkeeper Aleksander Seliga but Calabro pounced on the loose ball to side-foot into the empty net.

And any hopes the visitors had of salvaging something from the game disappeared just before the break when Calabro found the bottom corner from 14 yards to make it 4-0 to the home side.

Perhaps unsurprisingly VVV were unable to maintain such form in the second half, but they did manage a fifth goal through Van Dessel.

Filipe Diogo Viana crossed from the right and Van Dessel controlled the ball before firing into the bottom corner.

Woeful Sparta were unable to even find a consolation goal, Edouard Duplan firing wide from long range two minutes from time to sum up their miserable afternoon.