Sheffield Wednesday manager Brian Laws thinks the battle to avoid relegation from the Coca-Cola Championship could reach its conclusion on the last day of the season after watching his side record a seventh consecutive draw - 1-1 against Plymouth.
Tommy Spurr's stunning long-range strike 10 minutes from time earned the Owls a point which lifted them out of the relegation zone and ensured Leicester return to the bottom three.
A wickedly deflected free-kick from Peter Halmosi in the second minute had stunned Hillsborough into silence, but Wednesday, who also moved above Coventry on goal difference, fought back to all but end the Pilgrims' hopes of reaching the play-offs.
Laws said: "It's going to go to the wire, but the players have a lot of belief and a lot of confidence in their ability.
"It's all about keeping your nerve. Everyone is going to be nervy down at the bottom, yes we're in a run of form, too many draws, but you'd rather go into the games knowing we'd got confidence than if we'd been losing week in, week out.
"It could be as daft as three wins. There is going to be so many twists and turns, I don't think even the top half is going to be finalised until the last game, the last kick.
"There are going to be twists and turns on the very last day and I think that could be the same at the bottom.
"Unless somebody falls away and starts losing the next three games, which I doubt, Leicester will be fighting, Blackpool will be fighting, Coventry, we're all fighting in there and nobody is going to give up.
"The pressure is now back on Leicester, obviously they didn't handle it very well against Colchester on Saturday. Everyone is looking at Blackpool, not won in eight games. Are they looking nervy, can they handle the pressure?
"I've told the players 'Keep you're nerve, because we've got a lot of belief that we will do it'.
Pilgrims boss Paul Sturrock, who was given an excellent reception by the Wednesday fans having guided the Owls to the Championship via the League One play-offs in 2005, conceded his side needed a win to keep their hopes of a top-six finish alive.
Plymouth are now five points behind sixth-placed Crystal Palace with three matches remaining, with Wolves and Cardiff both having games in hand.
"While its mathematically possible we will still give it a go, we need to win our two home games. But really, we needed the win tonight," said Sturrock.
The Scotsman felt Halmosi's early strike affected the way his side approached the game and ultimately cost them three points.
He added: "The first goal, it sounds a strange thing for a manager to say, came too early. The goal changed out mental approach and it was a disappointing performance.
"It was always going to be difficult scoring as early as we did."
A wickedly deflected free-kick from Peter Halmosi in the second minute had stunned Hillsborough into silence, but Wednesday, who also moved above Coventry on goal difference, fought back to all but end the Pilgrims' hopes of reaching the play-offs.
Laws said: "It's going to go to the wire, but the players have a lot of belief and a lot of confidence in their ability.
"It's all about keeping your nerve. Everyone is going to be nervy down at the bottom, yes we're in a run of form, too many draws, but you'd rather go into the games knowing we'd got confidence than if we'd been losing week in, week out.
"It could be as daft as three wins. There is going to be so many twists and turns, I don't think even the top half is going to be finalised until the last game, the last kick.
"There are going to be twists and turns on the very last day and I think that could be the same at the bottom.
"Unless somebody falls away and starts losing the next three games, which I doubt, Leicester will be fighting, Blackpool will be fighting, Coventry, we're all fighting in there and nobody is going to give up.
"The pressure is now back on Leicester, obviously they didn't handle it very well against Colchester on Saturday. Everyone is looking at Blackpool, not won in eight games. Are they looking nervy, can they handle the pressure?
"I've told the players 'Keep you're nerve, because we've got a lot of belief that we will do it'.
Pilgrims boss Paul Sturrock, who was given an excellent reception by the Wednesday fans having guided the Owls to the Championship via the League One play-offs in 2005, conceded his side needed a win to keep their hopes of a top-six finish alive.
Plymouth are now five points behind sixth-placed Crystal Palace with three matches remaining, with Wolves and Cardiff both having games in hand.
"While its mathematically possible we will still give it a go, we need to win our two home games. But really, we needed the win tonight," said Sturrock.
The Scotsman felt Halmosi's early strike affected the way his side approached the game and ultimately cost them three points.
He added: "The first goal, it sounds a strange thing for a manager to say, came too early. The goal changed out mental approach and it was a disappointing performance.
"It was always going to be difficult scoring as early as we did."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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