Easter Monday v Weston is the key fixture

Victory over Hampton & Richmond at Plainmoor helped Torquay United open up a five-point gap on the bottom four in the National League South ahead of a pivotal Easter weekend.

For all the turbulence at TQ1 this season, relegation fears were never really high on the agenda, but the notice to enter administration and subsequent ten-point deduction changed all that.

Painful defeats to Taunton Town and Tonbridge Angels highlighted a club in apparent free-fall, and there was understandable apprehension ahead of the Devon Day visit from a Hampton & Richmond side on course for a play-off place.

United responded with a performance full of determination, securing the three points with a penalty from captain Asa Hall, but there is still more to be done in the quest for sixth tier survival.

The Gulls face a daunting trip to Yeovil Town on Good Friday. The Glovers lead the division by seven points and have been the top side all season but the Gulls can take heart from a recent blip in Yeovil form, particularly on their own track.

A battling 1-0 win at Braintree last weekend was a much-needed boost for the Glovers, who saw their runaway lead cut by successive Huish Park losses to Chippenham Town and Welling United.

Despite that encouragement, a point at Yeovil would be perfectly acceptable for United, but only if they can win at home to Weston-super-Mare on Easter Monday.

This is the game that could mean everything to the Gulls.

After Weston, United have four away fixtures on the spin before finishing the campaign with a visit from Havant & Waterlooville on April 20.

Weston currently sit in mid-table and United must be wary that two sides below them, Taunton and Truro, have a number of games in hand. Beating Weston could be the key to staying up.