The Boxing Day nightmare when Stockport were walloped 6-0 at Macclesfield, leaving them five points adrift of safety, seems like a lifetime ago thanks to Jim Gannon's rescue act.
Jamie Ward, who opened the scoring against Shrewsbury on Saturday, embodies the relaxed approach of boss Gannon that has served the club so well in their season-long battle against relegation to the Conference.
The winger, on loan from Aston Villa, said: "We know that if we get a point at Torquay were effectively safe
"There are no nerves in the changing room. We know what we've got to do and hopefully we can sort it all tomorrow.
"The fans are great here. Ever since I've been here the fans have got behind us, and that's what you need when you're down at the bottom."
Adam Griffin and Tes Bramble both had good chances early on against Shrewsbury as County produced the high tempo start Gannon had demanded.
Breakthrough
But Stockport keeper James Spencer still had to produce a great double save in the 11th minute, clawing back Kelvin Langmead's header after parrying Sagi Burton's effort from a corner.
County made their deserved breakthrough in the 36th minute when Liam Dickinson broke into the box and unselfishly squared the ball to Ward, who drilled his shot high into the corner of the net.
In the 54th minute Dickinson raced from the half way line and when he was stopped on the edge of the area, Bramble was able to feed the ball to Kevin O'Connor who produced an unstoppable 20-yard strike for County's second.
But in the 64th minute former Stockport striker Glynn Hurst pulled one back for the visitors when he headed home from close range after Richard Hope had nodded a corner on to him.
But any home nerves were settled five minutes from time when Bramble was dragged down in the box by Burton and Mark Robinson sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot.
Shrewsbury boss Gary Peters proclaimed all the Stockport players as heroes and came in their changing room after the game to tell them so.
Not surprisingly, Gannon felt much the same way.
"We've been relaxed and positive all the time, he said. We've been focusing on making sure the players don't feel that pressure
"The players put in a tremendous effort and were rewarded with a tremendous achievement
"We should have had more but three goals was enough for us to win.
"Everybody played their part today, it's great credit to them and they did the club proud.
"It's a long way to the taunts to the players at Macclesfield on Boxing Day that our players weren't fit to wear the shirt.
"But the jobs not done yet. We have to go to Torquay and get something there." Tweet
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Freedom of the Borough for JG if we win this one!
After the expense of cancelled fixures surely no-one will miss this as an away fixuture if Torquay go down?
On boxing day at Macc, none of the players deserved to wear the shirt.
We've come a long way in 4 months, we're by no means the finished article, & we've ridden our luck on occasions, but credit to the players for giving us, the fans something to cheer in that period of time.
It has been well documented by regular fans who saw Jimmy Gannon at games and witnessed that nobody was as sick as he was with the previous state of affairs at the club.
It now seems the players know just what is expected of them but they're not playing scared. They also see that Jim doesn't coach scared, he's not afraid to make bold tactical changes, and if they don't always come off, how many times as he made substitutions and the player who has come on has made an immediate impact, if not potted a goal almost as soon as he's got on?
Nobody's perfect, ask Chelski how many trophies they're going for now. By any reasonable measure, Jim Gannon has done a great job at Stockport County.....again!
Phil B^)
SCFCinCanada
OK Diego but I will certainly miss this fixture because it seems it could be some time before Argyle and County play in same league again - At the moment, Torquay present the only real opportunity for me to see County.
I wish Jim Gannon and the team all the best and hope they get the three points tomorrow night to be sure of safety - Torquay can still survive if they win their remaining two fixtures!!!!!
Looked like nerves to me today. God, what a disaster. Like the old days. From being able to mathmatically stay up, we have two tough fixtures & play like this at Barnet & we ARE down. Horrible - 0-4? inexcusible for such a big game.