TWO down, one to go and then talk of great escapes will no longer be in the realms of fantasy.
Until then everybody at Notts County will have to keep their emotions in check, because football has a nasty habit of killing hope just when you think you've cracked it.
The fact Shaun Derry and his players have engineered themselves into this position is a testament to their desire and the league table now looks much healthier than it did a week ago.
What was a five-point gap to safety is now just two thanks to this 3-1 win which was owed to a ruthlessness seldom seen this season.
A double from Ronan Murray and Gary Liddle's header sealed the victory over Crewe for Notts, who claimed their second three-point haul in three days.
With Colchester to play at Meadow Lane at the weekend, a third successive victory will leave the Magpies in a fantastic position to retain their League One status.
More performances like this will certainly strengthen their cause as they refused to buckle under the importance of the occasion against a Crewe side in real trouble themselves.
Notts certainly showed no signs of being manacled by fear as a bright move in the opening minute ended with Jimmy Spencer driving a shot over the bar from long range.
Crewe have fashioned a reputation for playing slick football over the years and the legacy of Dario Gradi, the man who preached pass and move, was clearly being continued by his successor Steve Davis.
The speed of their response made the ball a blur as it found its way to Abdul Osman on the edge of the box whose shot failed to match the beauty of the approach as it careered over the bar.
Notts' riposte was swift and it was decisive. A free-kick won by Murray was left to Alan Sheehan whose delivery was only cleared to the edge of the area for Jamal Cambpell-Ryce.
The former Jamaica international surged past his man, stood-up a cross to the back post where Gary Liddle, craning his neck, delivered a wonderful header into the far corner.
The small band of Notts fans housed in the away end found their hymn sheets before a chorus of "we are staying up" punctured the crisp night air.
Their confidence was being replicated where it mattered most as the visitors, clearly buoyed by their magnificent win over Carlisle, were playing with a swagger.
They almost doubled the lead in the 30th minute from a move which underlined Derry's wish to utilise the strength of Spencer.
A long ball from Sheehan ended with the striker fending off a challenge with the ball falling to Ronan Murray whose snapshot from 20 yards was an inch the wrong side of the post.
Notts still kept coming, this time through Grealish, whose mesmerising feet, hypnotised a Crewe line into a standstill.
His left-foot shot took a deflection, but from the following corner Notts could not make the set-piece count.
A tackle by Liddle on Matt Tootle left the defender in a heap as Crewe players reacted furiously.
Tempers also became frayed in the dugout which underlined just how important this game was to both sides.
Eventually order was restored and the tete-a-tete actually seemed to work in Crewe's favour as they applied their first real bit of consistent pressure.
A Chuks Aneke volley was off target as Notts attempted to see out the remaining minutes of the half.
There was no doubt Derry would have ordered the same level of commitment after the break and his players duly obliged.
The excellent Campbell-Ryce, who was brilliant both offensively and defensively, burst into the area but nobody could convert his cross shot.
Crewe, frustrated at their inability to construct any decent chances, kept trying to play their football but as the tension grew, misplaced passes were regular.
However, in the 74th minute, Osman unleashed a 30-yard drive which looked destined for the top corner until Bartosz Bialkowski flung himself to his left to tip it over the bar.
Mark Ellis then glanced a header wide of the far post from a corner as the Railwaymen tried desperately to get themselves on track.
But with ten minutes left, Notts made it 2-0 with a super goal.
Murray's run from a deep-lying midfield position was spotted by Campbell-Ryce who played an inch -erfect ball into his path.
The Irishman took a touch and burst into the box with Jimmy Spencer sprinting into the box.
But Murray opted to go it alone and with a unerring left-foot drive, his shot flew into the bottom corner for his third goal in three games.
The former Swindon striker was not finished either.
With time running out and with Crewe pressing forward, a long ball over the top allowed Murray a clear run at goal.
Brimming with confidence, he applied a lethal finish.
Crewe fans vacated their seats as if there was a fire alarm and many were outside the stadium when Ellis scored a deflected effort, but it wasn't enough to ruin a glorious night at Gresty Road.
Man of the match: Jamal Campbell-Ryce: The winger created the first goal, but he stuck to his defensive duties brilliantly and helped out his full-back Curtis Thompson no end. A truly excellent performance.
Ref watch: Seb Stockbridge: Had a fairly decent game and refused to be swayed into giving Gary Liddle a red card when Crewe began a melee to make the tackle appear much worse than it was.
Crewe: Garratt, Tootle, Ellis, Dugdale, Osman, Pogba, Inman (Waters 84), Guthrie, Evans, Aneke, Ikpeazu (Leitch-Smith 74). Subs: Phillips, Mellor, Ray, Nolan, Oliver.
Notts: Bialkowski, Sheehan, Liddle, Grealish (Grealish 58), Mullins, Spencer (McGregor 90), Murray, Campbell-Ryce, Thompson, Vela, Hollis. Subs: Smith, Leacock, Spiess, Boucaud, Dixon,
Attendance: 3,895 (359 visitors)
