Jon McCarthy thinks Chester FC may already have enough points in the bag .
And, it is true, it would take a disastrous set of results for the Blues to be dragged into the bottom four come 2pm on April 29.
But, with memories of that Salisbury City match still fresh , can we take anything for granted yet?
So, ahead of the trip to Sutton United and the final-day home clash with Boreham Wood, we asked our fans' jury...
Do you think Chester's survival will go down to the last game of the season?
Here's what they had to say...
Ian Saxby
"Do I think Chester's survival will go down to the last game of the season? Probably, although I still think we'll be okay. It will take monumental bad luck for us to go down, but given Chester's history in such matters, that's a far from impossible scenario. One thing in our favour is goal difference in comparison with teams around us; thank goodness for that brilliant run of clean sheets earlier in the season.
"I'm still scratching my head to work out how we've arrived at this sorry state of affairs. Poor runs of form can gain a kind of self-perpetuating momentum and are very difficult to halt. It is unfortunate that this run has come at the end of a long season, where players are tired and the squad is looking particularly threadbare. Luck is also going against us and the players and management have that haunted look about them.
"I thought we didn't play particularly badly on Monday, the first 25 minutes excluded, but we just didn't get that bit of luck we needed. Certainly the performance was much improved on the York game, which to be honest wasn't difficult. The players aren't losing games on purpose, it's just that they've all had a collective dip in form and confidence is rock bottom. We are certainly missing the energy, guile and distribution of Mahon in the final third of the pitch.
"I just hope the stay-away fans turn up for the last game and get behind the boys. I would also like to see the section of our support that choose to barrack players, either at the ground or on social media, to have a week off and cheer the team instead. The players have given us some great moments this season, so let's get behind them one last time. COYB."
Ian Wilson
"I think there's every chance that survival will go down to the last game, however I believe that we already have enough points in the bag, along with our decent goal difference, to see us retain our place in the National League next season.
"I watched our annual defeat at Forest Green last week and what struck me was the current lack of belief in the side. Not so much a lack of effort, just a demeanour that said we're here to make up the numbers. Jon needs to find a way to address this. Yes, of course there are many clubs in this league with the financial clout that we can only dream of, but we shouldn't go on the pitch against any side in our division believing we're second best.
"But current form isn't the only concern at the moment, with the news this week that chairman Alan Povey is to step down. We're getting through volunteer chairman at an alarming rate. This attrition of board members is the main threat to our fans-owned model. With social media it's a tough job for a volunteer. In this day and age people are very quick to criticise and demand answers. These are typically the type of people who are the very last to offer their own time and energies towards the club.
"Let's hope that there's still some suitably thick skinned Cestrians out there willing to stick their head above the parapet. They'll get nothing but appreciation and admiration from me. COYB!"
Andy Davies
"I'm hoping that we can ensure survival this weekend rather than the last day of the season. There's certainly a strong chance of that simply through results elsewhere, as Braintree and Torquay need to win and are both up against play-off chasing teams. A Woking win would also leave York unable to catch us and our goal difference gives us an advantage over the remaining teams around us as well. It's really disappointing to even be thinking about this though given how well this season was going for so long.
"I'd really like us to get the job finished ourselves at Sutton, they won't be pushovers but if we can go there and be positive we can do it. It would be good to see a rejuvenated attitude, stop being so cautious, overly worrying about containing others and get them worrying about us instead. These players need to get back to basics playing in a formation they know and feel comfortable with, not all out of position, which has been happening far too much.
"Get the ball down and play to their strengths, not feeding their weaknesses. The likes of James Alabi and Elliott Durrell up front blatantly don’t want the ball in the air, for example. Our two goals on Monday were well-worked moves with the ball on the deck, and Sutton's 3G pitch should allow us to move the ball about.
"There were some positive signs going forward against Woking on Monday, if we can build on them and keep solid at the back, then hopefully we can wrap this season up."
Tom Grindley
"I don't think it will go down to the last game of the season, not because we will win on Saturday, as I fully expect Sutton to beat us, but because a result elsewhere will keep us up and save the last-day nerves.
"Going back to last week's question when asked if I would've taken this before the start of the season... I'm not too sure if I would now as it's more the manor of how we've ended up in this position. There is no way we should be where we are considering the position we were in at Christmas. I think a local Sunday league manager could've kept us up if they took over at Christmas, so it's no 'achievement' just staying up.
"Jon McCarthy's interviews after games are borderline embarrassing. How he blindly backs the players and says they haven't let him down is ridiculous. There are a lot of players who have been 'on the beach' for months. This could be down to them being offered new deals for next season, so the performance levels have gone down.
"I'm very worried for next season. We are going to lose our best players and our loan players and I don't think McCarthy has the ability to put a squad together to progress. I think it will be real relegation battle unless big changes happen. I'd be very surprised if he is still in a job come November."
Rio Doherty
"I think we will reach survival by the Boreham Wood game. With many different outcomes, it seems that only something dramatic would relegate us. It does seem worrying to rely on results elsewhere however, because even in March I thought we would be safe. Come five o'clock on Saturday we will be safe if any two of these scenarios come true: Guiseley lose at Bromley; Braintree fail to beat Barrow; Torquay fail to beat Dover; York fail to win at Woking; Solihull Moors lose to Eastleigh.
"Of course, we could use the easy option by beating Sutton away without having to rely on other results (last year I was on pins), which could prove to be similar to Grimsby last season. I went to Cleethorpes expecting nothing but I came home without a voice.
"The situation we are in all relates to our recent form I'm afraid. It seems ridiculous to think like this when in December we were in touching distance of the play-offs. However, our aim at the start of the season was to at least stay in this division for next season and we are on course to achieve this. We should be thankful for goal difference with a number of teams below us on around -15, with us on -3, which is a big advantage. Also, with teams playing against each other, it seems as if we will probably stay up even if we lose both of our games.
"It is exasperating nonetheless, but I remain in hope that we get a victory at Sutton so our fans can enjoy next Saturday without a rollercoaster of emotions. COYB!"
If you would like to become a jury member you can email chester.sport@cheshirenews.co.uk.
