ARNHEM, March 12 (Eredivisie) - Vitesse Arnhem gave their play-off challenge a boost with a hammering of sorry RBC Roosendaal.

While the win keeps Vitesse just five points off the European play-offs, the visitors, by contrast, remain rock bottom with only one win all season, and never looked like changing that statistic once they had gone 2-0 down inside the first eight minutes.

RBC's failure to defend set-pieces cost them dear as first Mads Junker nodded home Theo Janssen's free-kick and then Richard Knopper's delivery picked out an unmarked Ruud Knol to head home the second.

Janssen and Onur Kaya went close to extending the lead before half-time, but Vitesse had to wait until the hour mark before making the game safe.

Youssouf Hersi grabbed the third goal as the Roosendaal defence again failed to deal with a cross, Purrel Frankel this time delivering for Hersi to finish.

And, just two minutes later, Knopper added the fourth with a powerful drive into the top corner.

The hosts were rampant and Janssen came close to a deserved goal when his long-range effort crashed against the upright.

Paul Kpaka snatched a consolation goal when he beat the offside trap to reach substitute Frits Paap's through-ball and finish neatly past keeper Harald Wapenaar.

But Junker set up a second goal 10 minutes from time with a fine cross, Fred Benson this time the unmarked beneficiary.

Beleaguered goalkeeper Mark Volders prevented further embarrassment with an outstanding save to tip away Kaya's late free-kick, but it was scant consolation as Robert Maaskant's team crashed to an eighth defeat in nine games.