STAN Ternent believes that his team still has a shot at the play-offs, even after the dismal defeat at Bramall Lane on Wednesday night.

But he has now admitted it really is crunch time and he knows his side will have to win at least nine of their last 12 games if they are going to close the gap on the top six, starting against Walsall tomorrow.

That means the players, knocked out of the FA Cup at Watford on Sunday, have got the equivalent of 12 Cup Finals to play before the end of the season.

After tomorrow, they have a seven to four split in terms of games home and away.

The problem is that three of those games are against teams that are already above them, Nottingham Forest, Norwich City and the runaway leaders Portsmouth.

That is the next scheduled away game after Walsall although it may be put back because of international call-ups for Harry Redknapp's side.

After a season of tough trips, Fratton Park on a Tuesday night is hardly what the fans would want.

If that is the case, Burnley could find themselves playing five home games in succession.

Leicester City will be the first side to visit Turf Moor since Fulham and the side in second place has started to wobble a bit with the finishing line now in sight.

The name of Wolves is not one to be mentioned on Tuesday night as they are in danger of emulating their Midlands rivals who blew a commanding advantage around this time last season.

The Clarets have already enjoyed a notable success against them, becoming the first side to beat them at their new home the Walkers Stadium, Ian Moore clinching victory with the only goal of the game.

But the next four games all have the "winnable" tag although it has been the failure to beat supposedly lesser teams that has cost the Clarets dear, not only this season but last.

The FA Cup defeat of Grimsby did at least give a measure of satisfaction as they avenged their remarkable 6-5 defeat at Blundell Park earlier in the season but nothing less than three points will do against the Mariners a week on Saturday.

The next three games are also against teams currently below them although a couple of them might soon change that.

Bradford now look safe after a brief flirtation with the foot of the table while Preston North End and Watford could be above the Clarets by tomorrow evening if results go their way.

Of course, the match against the Hornets will offer an early opportunity to get a modicum of revenge for the Cup defeat.

Gillingham and Sheffield Wednesday are the last two teams to visit Turf Moor with the Clarets looking to avoid a double defeat against the Gills and hoping to achieve the double over the struggling Owls.

The final fixture of the season is against an Wimbledon side that has been steadily improving throughout the season and now looks certain to be at Selhurst Park rather than their intended new home in Milton Keynes.

Like the Clarets, the Dons are currently looking wistfully up the table, dreaming of catching any side that suffers a slump in form, a dip in confidence.

But if that match at the start of May is to be anything other than a meaningless mid-table encounter, one of the two sides is going to have to go on a run - and fast.

In the past, Stan Ternent's teams have revelled at the business end of the season.

He will desperately be hoping that performances like Wednesday night's will not be repeated and his team can get on a roll that will have the teams above them rocking.