IT WOULD BE nice, and a huge relief of course, if Torquay United could sort the thing themselves against Lincoln City and Morecambe.

But the fate of League Two's second relegation place will almost certainly be settled at Blundell Park and Spotland over the next two weekends.

For Grimsby Town must play second-placed AFC Bournemouth at home and leaders Rochdale away in their next two matches.

If the Mariners can suddenly be good enough to take at least four points from those two matches, then the relegation battle may not be over.

Darlington are down.

And that's a terrible shame for a club which is making real efforts to put its house in order off the field at last.

New chairman Raj Singh appears committed to try and turn the Quakers around, and there is plenty of positive, revenue-generating activity going on around the 25,000-seater Arena.

Good luck to them in a Blue Square Premier which looks more daunting with every season that passes (look at Cambridge and Wrexham).

Grimsby would have gone down last season if Luton Town hadn't been crippled by points-deductions.

With only one win in 28 games, the Mariners will go this time unless they can produce a sensational series of results — and fast.

In their next six matches Grimsby play Bournemouth (2nd) at home, Rochdale (top) away, Northampton (7th) home, Accrington (9th) away, wobbling and worried Hereford away and Chesterfield (5th) at home.

All their opponents have loads to play for.

Torquay don't travel to Cleethorpes until April 17.

With a bit of luck, the whole thing should be sorted by then.

Call me a pessimistic so-and-so if you like, but until the Gulls stick another half-dozen points in the bank — or Grimsby keep marking time — I don't think they can relax.

Despite their current run of two wins and four draws, United still retain the ability to press the self-destruct button.

Last Saturday's 1-1 draw against Crewe, who missed a penalty, equalised five minutes from time and nearly won it, was the latest example.

United are competitive with most teams in the division, but they continue to blow hot and cold within the same match.

And their cold spells hurt them more than their hot ones help them.

If United beat Lincoln at Plainmoor on Saturday, the Imps will start to worry again.

But the two other teams in most danger of being dragged back by Grimsby are Cheltenham and Hereford.

Cheltenham's crazy 6-5 win at Burton last Saturday was only their second in eleven games, but it may just have lifted them at the right time.

Hereford have hit a wall at the wrong time.

The Bulls have lost six of their last seven matches, have sacked manager John Trewick and their 0-1 defeat at home to Morecambe on Tuesday was watched by only 1,208 fans.

They have resurgent Bradford City at home and Chesterfield away in their next two games, and two more defeats will have them in a real sweat.

Don't forget, teams do extraordinary things at this time of year, for good and bad.

Gulls fans know that better than anyone.

Who would have given them a hope of staying up when, six points adrift with five games left, Ian Atkins grabbed them by the scruff of the neck in April 2006?

Four wins and a draw later, including a 2-1 victory at champions Carlisle, United stayed up by three places and three points.

Oxford, who hadn't seemed in any real danger in the New Year, took only four points from their last 21 and went down with Rushden.

Enough said.