A delightful early goal from Ricardo Kishna helped Ajax gain revenge over Groningen, the last team to beat them in the Eredivisie, with a 2-0 home victory.
The reigning champions headed into Friday's contest having gone 13 games unbeaten in the Dutch top flight since losing 2-0 at Groningen on August 31.
And a fine strike from Kishna, together with Johan Kappelhof's 90th-minute own goal, ensured Frank de Boer's second-placed side closed the gap on PSV to a solitary point ahead of the leaders' trip to Vitesse on Saturday.
Ajax started brightly and claimed a deserved lead in the 15th minute when Schone played a delicate throughball with the outside of his right boot to send Kishna through on goal.
The striker's finish was similarly impressive as he found the bottom-right corner with the outside of his left foot, leaving Sergio Padt with no chance.
Groningen had chances to rescue a share of the spoils, with Jarchinio Antonia guilty of poor misses either side of the interval.
Antonia shot tamely at Jasper Cillesen from a presentable position in the first period and sliced badly wide with 14 minutes remaining after a wonderful passing move had left Ajax exposed.
Ajax then added a second in the final minute of normal time when Kappelhof turned a low cross from Nick Viergever into his own net.
