As they enter their final six matches of the 2013-14 campaign, the task now facing Torquay United is- as snooker legend Steve Davis once described- 'to play for everything as though it means nothing.'
A minimum of four wins from their final six league matches, starting with tomorrow's visit of promotion chasers Scunthorpe United, could potentially be enough to keep the Gulls in the Football League, providing results elsewhere .
Many of the Plainmoor faithful have fond memories of the Great Escape under Ian Atkins of the 2005-06 season when the Gulls won four out of their last five matches to stay in the league, and a similar return from their remaining fixtures is required now.
Tomorrow's meeting with Scunthorpe will also see the home debut of loan signing Shaquile Coulthirst-who arrived at Plainmoor on the final of the loan transfer window from Tottenham Hotspur.
Goals have been hard to come by for the Gulls this season- winger Jordan Chapell is the club's top scorer with five and Aussie defender Aaron Downes has chipped in with four. However, they haven't found the back of the net since the end of October and the beginning of January respectively.
Since Downes' last goal against Morecambe on January 5th, which was his fourth of the campaign, only his fellow centre back Krystian Pearce has found the target more than once.
Of all the strikers used by Gulls' boss Chris Hargreaves and his predecessor Alan Knill, only Millwall loanee John Marquis could be regarded as prolific. Marquis appeared five times for the Gulls in November and December 2013 and scored three times- against Scunthorpe, Southend United and Bristol Rovers- before his loan spell from the New Den was cut short due to injury.
If Coulthirst can emulate Marquis' goal return during his stay on the English Riviera between now and when he is due to return to White Hart Lane then the Gulls might just have a fighting chance of pulling off what would be another escape act that Harry Houdini himself would be proud of.
