The final push for glory and survival for football clubs across Devon

This is it: the final eight weeks of a long football season are upon us and clubs across Devon still have everything to play for.

While some will still harbour hopes of some cup glory, we are focussing on the league status of our professional and semi-professional teams, with promotion dreams and relegations fears on the menu for all.

Here is the run-in and what each game could mean:

Plymouth Argyle Games to Play: 12 League Position: 12th Projected Finish: 7th The Fixtures Doncaster Rovers H - March 7 Wigan Athletic A - March 10 Reading A - March 14 Stevenage H - March 17 Huddersfield Town H - March 21 Bradford City A - March 28 Bolton Wanderers H - April 3 Barnsley A - April 6 Exeter City H - April 11 AFC Wimbledon A - April 18 Port Vale H - April 25 Northampton Town A - May 2

Overview Bottom of the Sky Bet League One table before Christmas, the revival at Home Park has been incredible over the past few months, and even more incredible it has been based on superb away form.

Plymouth Argyle have always been known as a club that built success on a fortress at home. It is the longest trip of the season for many opponents and the Pilgrims have taken full advantage of that down the years, but this season’s recovery has seen an opposite trend.

Burton Albion, Doncaster Rovers and Blackpool were all battered on their home turf and from the depths of relegation concerns, Argyle enter this crucial period with a genuine chance of breaking into the play-off picture.

It is going to take a monumental run and the recent injury to star forward Lorent Tolaj is a major blow but Tom Cleverley is settling into his role as manager, and the run-in involves a number of games against clubs in the lower reaches of the division.

A Devon derby with Exeter City is the stand-out game in April and even if the play-offs prove out of reach, victory in this game would be massive for the Green Army after the pain of a tepid defeat at St James Park in the autumn.

Exeter City Games to Play: 12 League Position: 15th (before midweek game) Projected Finish: 18th The Fixtures Barnsley A - March 7 Lincoln City H - March 10 Cardiff City H - March 14 Luton Town A - March 17 Wigan Athletic A - March 21 Leyton Orient H - March 28 Blackpool A - April 3 Doncaster Rovers H - April 6 Plymouth Argyle A - April 11 Stockport County H - April 18 Burton Albion A - April 25 Bradford City H - May 2

Overview Exeter City have endured more than most this season, flirting with the relegation zone for the first half of the campaign, the joy of a bumper FA Cup tie that turned horribly sour on the day, constant financial pressures and an unwanted change of managers.

Rumours of serious fiscal problems have been swirling around the Grecians all season and that undoubtedly played a role in a sluggish start to the season, with Exeter languishing near the bottom four.

Manager Gary Caldwell did a fine job in rallying his troops and the Devon derby win over Plymouth Argyle was a definite boost. Exeter then won through to an FA Cup Third Round tie at Manchester City but the big day turned into a humbling 10-1 defeat.

Caldwell then left SJP to take up the role as Wigan manager and the Grecians started with four draws under the stewardship of interim boss Dan Green. The 5-1 home loss to Bolton Wanderers was a tough one to take.

City are expected to name a new manager very soon and his first task will be to steady the ship, ensuring Exeter are not sucked into a late relegation fight. The form of striker Jayden Wareham could be key to those ambitions.

Torquay United Games to Play: 11 League Position: 4th (before midweek game) Projected Finish: 2nd The Fixtures Ebbsfleet United A - March 7 Salisbury H - March 10 Chesham United H - March 14 Dagenham & Redbridge A - March 21 Dorking Wanderers H - March 24 Horsham H - March 28 Weston-super-Mare A - April 3 Bath City H - April 6 Slough Town A - April 11 Hemel Hempstead Town H - April 18 Tonbridge Angels A - April 25

Overview From day one, the pressure was on at Torquay United for manager Paul Wotton to deliver the promotion his side only missed out on by two goals last season.

The Gulls are comfortably the biggest club in the National League South in terms of attendances and expectations, but this is yet another division where some clubs splash the cash.

Torquay started brightly, stuttered into the autumn but then found form in the winter. Wotton built a side that scored more goals than the previous season but were defensively more vulnerable.

In January, the Gulls reached the top of the division but a brutal run of one point in five games and a painful 5-0 home loss to Chelmsford cost Wotton his job. Torquay turned to veteran Neil Warnock as interim boss and they remain in the play-off picture but automatic promotion will require a stunning run of results.

Bideford AFC Games to Play: 11 League Position: 16th Projected Finish: 16th The Fixtures Bristol Manor Farm H - March 7 Brixham AFC A - March 14 Winchester City H - March 17 Bashley A - March 21 Willand Rovers H - March 28 Hartpury A - April 3 Exmouth Town H - April 6 Larkhall Athletic A - April 11 Swindon Supermarine A - April 18 Bishops Cleeve H - April 25

Overview Bideford enter the final weeks of the campaign five points above the relegation zone, a position they have held for much of the season.

The Robins have done a fine job of avoiding the bottom four but also never found the consistency to secure the comfort of mid-table. They should have enough in the tank to avoid a relegation scrap but most avoid complacency.

Barnstaple Town Games to Play: 12 League Position: 5th (before midweek game) Projected Finish: 3rd The Fixtures Brislington H - March 7 Street FC A - March 10 Sidmouth Town H - March 14 Saltash United H - March 17 Newquay A - March 21 Shepton Mallet A - March 24 Shepton Mallet H - March 28 Torpoint Athletic H - March 31 Wellington H - April 3 Bridgwater United A - April 6 Clevedon Town H - April 11 Oldland Abbotonians A - April 18

Overview A brilliant run in the FA Vase means Barnstaple Town have games in hand on all their Western League rivals and it would take a massive drop in form to see them miss out on the play-offs.

Win all those games in hand and it is not inconceivable they could snatch the one automatic promotion slot, but that would also require others dropping points.

Torridgeside Games to Play: 9 League Position: 5th Projected Finish: 5th The Fixtures Ilfracombe Town H – March 7 Middlezoy Rovers A – March 14 Bovey Tracey H – March 21 Ilminster Town A – March 28 Torrington A – April 3 Stoke Gabriel & Torbay Police A – April 15 Newton Abbot Spurs A – April 18 Newton Abbot Spurs H – April 22 Honiton Town A – April 25

Overview It has been an impressively solid season in the South West Peninsula League for Torridgeside. Although never threatening the top two of Bridport and Bovey Tracey, another campaign of steady progress for the T-Siders and expect them to finish strong.

Ilfracombe Town Games to Play: 7 League Position: 6th Projected Finish: 6th The Fixtures Torridgeside A – March 7 Crediton United H – March 21 Bridport A – March 28 Okehampton Argyle A – April 4 Newton Abbot Spurs A – April 6 Teignmouth A – April 11 Bovey Tracey H – April 14

Overview Ilfracombe Town possibly expected more after their relegation from the Western League last season but this is a tough division with some very good teams. In general, the Bluebirds have performed well and will be a threat next season.

Torrington Games to Play: 10 League Position: 12th Projected Finish: 11th The Fixtures Axminster Town H – March 7 Bishops Lydeard A – March 14 Bovey Tracey H – March 17 Cullompton Rangers A – March 21 Teignmouth A – March 28 Torridgeside H – April 3 Ilminster Town – April 11 Cullompton Rangers H – April 14 Bridport A – April 18 Stoke Gabriel & Torbay Police H – April 25

Overview The Super Greens really struggled last season and while they sit fifth from bottom, it has still been a season of steady progress. Torrington have made themselves a lot harder to beat and a credit to all at the club.