Away draw means PNE avoid the costliest of collapses

Battling point kept North End in the Championship

- John Smith

Travelling down to Bristol, I wondered if this would be the day that-in 57 years of following North End all over the country-my faint hopes of seeing them play in the top flight of English football in were forever dead and buried.

Before this game we were at the crossroads and staring down the barrel of the abyss.

We had been 12 points clear of the relegation zone with 11 games left, looking all set for a finishing position somewhere around the middle of the table.

One win in 14 games had put our club on the brink of a collapse of Devon Loch proportions, but Saturday was a day when some pride was restored after what-in general-has been a largely disappointing season, apart from the very good cup runs.