If you were to divide the Vanarama National League into thirds, over the course of the 2016-17 season Torquay United have as many points off the top eight in the division than the middle and lower thirds put together.
The Gulls' record reads as below:
Lincoln City H L 1-2, A still to play 0pts
Tranmere Rovers H 0-0, A L 1-2 1pt
Forest Green Rovers H W 4-3, A D 5-5 4pts
Dagenham & Redbridge H W 1-0, A W 1-0 6pts
Aldershot Town H D 0-0, A 1-1 2pts
Dover Athletic H W 2-1, A still to play 3pts
Barrow H D 1-1, A 0-0 2pts
Gateshead H W 3-1, A 0-0 4pts
Which brings a grand total of 22 points.
However, against the teams in the middle third of the table, it reads like this:
Macclesfield Town H D 1-1, A L 0-2 1pts
Boreham Wood H L 0-1, A L 0-2 0pts
Bromley H W 1-0, A L 0-1 3pts
Wrexham H D 1-1, A 1-1 2pts
Eastleigh H L 2-3, A 0-3 0pts
Chester FC H L 0-1, A L 0-1 0pts
Sutton United H L 2-3, A L 0-2 0pts
Maidstone United H L 2-3, A L 1-2 0pts
Against the middle third teams, United have yielded a meagre return of just six points.
However, their games against the lower third they have fared better.
Guiseley H L 1-2, A L 0-2 0pts
Solihull Moors H W 3-0, A W 1-0 6pts
York City H W 2-0, A D 0-0 4pts
Woking H L 1-2, A L 1-3 0pts
Braintree Town H still to play, A W 3-1 3pts
North Ferriby United H still to play, A L 0-1 0pts
Southport H L 1-2, A W 2-1 3pts
Which gives the Gulls a return of 16 points, and a factor that could yet be in the Gulls' favour is all their remaining fixtures are against sides in the top and lower thirds of the division who they have won most of their points against.
However, their home encounters with Braintree and North Ferriby could yet rank amongst crucial in the club's history.
