PAUL Mariner has been describing every Argyle game as a six-pointer since he took over the reins from Paul Sturrock in December.
The outcome, however, has all too often been one point yielded, even when the performances have merited more. Today's visit to Scunthorpe took the points-pressure notch to a new level. This is Spinal Tap's 11.
Victory at Glanford Park would bring us to within one point of Scunny and, dependent on results elsewhere, it could also be one point from safety - the closest we have been to the Championship escape hatch for what feels like months, probably because it has been months.
The importance of this match was almost mirrored by the significance of results elsewhere. Our Spotlight, therefore, is pointing its glare across the nation.
Bottom club Peterborough have enjoyed a mini revival of late but a midweek defeat to Doncaster dropped them four points adrift of us before kick-off and a trip to promotion-chasing Nottingham Forest was not exactly ideal for the increasingly desperate Posh.
Positions 22 and 23 were involved in the Battle of Glanford Park, while the unfortunate Crystal Palace took their fight against administrators and relegation to Ian Holloway's Blackpool. In other words, Ollie could play a big part in helping us achieve today's objective of being one point from safety.
A point ahead of Palace and Scunthorpe, and five points clear of us at the start of proceedings, were Sheffield Wednesday, who played host to the inconsistent Derby County. The reality of our situation means that Watford are arguably beyond catching with their eight-point cushion.
In essence, if we assume Peterborough are doomed, it is a case of two from four, with the main protagonists being us, Scunthorpe, Sheffield Wednesday and Crystal Palace.
The drama of a massive game at Glanford Park was given extra flavour, as if it was needed, by the swirling wind and rain, the stodgy pitch and a fiercely partisan home crowd. We would all love to be fighting at the other end of the table but the plus side is the extraordinary theatre of a genuine relegation contest.
A terrific start at Scunthorpe with Jamie Mackie forcing an early save at one end and David Stockdale producing heroics at the other, but the news from Bloomfield Road was not so promising. A goal after three minutes from Australian Nick Carle gave Palace a vita lead - cheers Ollie.
Despite the Eagles popping Tangerines on the other side of the Pennines, our superb start against the Iron was hugely encouraging, although, you need to score when on top and the Scunny goal remained intact for the first 15 minutes.
Elsewhere, Posh misery matched that of her crocked husband, as Robbie Earnshaw gave Forest the lead at the City Ground.
Back in the North-East, and a massive goal in the context of our season. A wonderful move between Bradley Wright-Phillips and Yala Bolasie, ended with an easy finish for Mackie. The impossible dream was now looking closer.
Our pace in attack was killing Scunny, but, at the back, we looked vulnerable to the power of the hosts, and we eventually succumbed to what looked suspiciously like an own goal from Carl Fletcher.
Bad news at Glanford was compounded by a second goal for Palace. Darren Ambrose made it 2-0 to the Eagles at Ollie's hapless Blackpool, who will hopefully continue their horrible recent run of form at Home Park next weekend.
Half-time whistles blowing around the country, and Sheffield Wednesday remained goalless with Derby and Ollie continued to stab the Greens in the heart (old habits and all that).
The incredible score-line, however, was right here in Scunny. Argyle's lightening triumvirate of Brad, Jamie and Yala butchered the home side for 45 minutes and yet the home side remained level.
After 45 minutes, therefore, the gap between us and Scunny was obviously still four points, but Palace were now six points ahead of us and Wednesday five.
A famous Ollie rant had an immediate effect at Bloomfield Road, as Blackpool reduced their arrears against Palace to one-goal courtesy of a strike by talented Scot Charlie Adam.
A slight sea-change at Glanford saw the home side turn on the pressure, although the pace of Yala and Brad forged a couple of openings to keep the impressive contingent from the Green Army bubbling away.
Football is such a cruel game. Yala enjoyed a ten-minute spell of individual brilliance that bamboozled the Scunny defence and we looked like the only team capable of scoring, and then Martyn Woolford's deflected shot gives the home side a 2-1 advantage out of nothing.
The pain of our deficit was deepened by the lack of any change at Hillsborough or Bloomfield. We were now just 20 minutes away from a disastrous day in this tortuous fight against the drop.
Sadly, nothing changed at Scunny, but a dramatic late equaliser from Blackpool's Ben Burgess does give us some hope.
