Racing Club de Bruxelles won the battle for the final playoff place from the Belgian Honor Division as they beat Herakles 1-0 to sneak into the top eight on the last day of this phase of the season.
Saturday’s results left Racing in ninth place with only a win being enough to knock Herakles out of contention.
Ed Horler gave the Bruxellois an eighth minute lead which proved crucial, putting the final stick to a bit of ping-pong in front of Amaury Timmermans’ cage.
Jeremy Gucassoff kept out two Herakles’ corners while Conor Harte was unable to make a penalty count before half-time.
With their greater need for the next goal, Herakles applied the pressure but Nicolas de Kerpel’s corners could not find the mark nor could Nick Haig whose late effort was repelled by Gucassoff.
La Gantoise finished the first half of the season with a 12th win out of 13, impressing with a 3-0 success against Léopold with Etienne Tynevez, Antoine Kina and Juan Saladino getting the goals.
They top the table ahead of Waterloo Ducks who swept by Old Club 9-1; Orée beat Daring 3-1 to move up to 30 points in third place with Léo fourth. Dragons made it a six point weekend with a 6-0 away win over Namur to land fifth place.
Leuven finished this phase in sixth with all their goals coming from Irish players in a 3-1 success against Antwerp, Luke Madeley netting two with Sean Murray getting the other. Beerschot took seventh with a 3-1 away success against Braxgata.