Welwyn Garden City manager Marc Weatherstone knows what they need to do to get in the Southern League Division One Central players - and the win over Leighton Town might be the biggest of the season so far.
It was all going swimmingly after a first-half goal from Lynton Goss and chances galore after the break at the Pexhurst Stadium.
An Albie Hall equaliser with six minutes remaining had seemingly spoilt the party though until it exploded back into life with a screamer from skipper Brad Wadkins found the top corner and the key to three points.
It keeps the Citizens firmly in the hunt for the play-offs and the boss is ready for the run-in.
Weatherstone said: "I kept this in house and kept it quiet but this was really the biggest game of the season because of where it puts us in the table, with our games in hand, it was a great result.
"We showed great character. How many chances id they have against Charlie? He did nothing in goal, I honestly don't remember a chance.
"But when you are only 1-0 up and you don't put away your chances, we missed three sitters in the second half, you're always going to give them a little bit of confidence.
"And all it needs is a deflection, a ricochet or pinball in a box, which is what they got.
"It wasn’t deserved but that's football, you don't always get what you deserve."
The victory puts them seventh in the table, four points behind the top five but with three or four games in hand.
The gaffer has had the old league ladders out as well as the calculator and has plotted the route to the play-offs, but he is well aware that football is a fickle mistress.
He said: "Before today we’d had 10 games left, 30 points up for grabs and I felt if we get 20, we’ll be in the play-offs.
"That's in my head but every time you make targets, you never hit them, it always seems to go against me.
"The boys know it's one game at a time, get through it and get through it without a loss and with three points.
"We could afford to lose three games. Do I want to lose three games? No, but then we might lose four or five and that still might be enough to get us in it.
"Football is a weird, weird game and this league is weird. Everyone seems to be beating everyone.
"We're in a very strong position but we need points.
"I know we're worthy of the playoffs, but until we're in, who knows what can happen in football?"
The match was played in a deluge that had began around tea-time and never stopped.
And while this game reached its conclusion, the damage caused will have to be looked at prior to Saturday's home game with leaders Biggleswade Town.
That is another reason why three points was important.
"You can see the conditions," said Weatherstone, "they are horrible. The pitch cut up and with all the rain since early evening, four weeks ago the match would have been called off.
"Saturday will be at risk with the constant rain but that's why this win was so important.
"If we don't get to play Biggleswade Town on Saturday, then it is not the worst case because we have these three points.
"If we’d dropped points here, we’d have definitely wanted the game on as you’d want to go and beat the league leaders.
"We’re capable of that but it's better to be going into in on the back of a win."
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