But to retrace one's steps and escape to the upper air- that is toil, that is labour," writes Stuart Vernon.

This description fits the Vale of Lune's situation as they endeavour to claw their away from the brink of Hades.

On Saturday, the struggle continues with a home North Two West game against Lymm, where a negative result could well send them tumbling into an unknown world.

There is so little room for manoeuvre for the one remaining relegation slot that only a Vale victory will suffice and provide them with a small finger hold on a rapidly-crumbling rock face. Should the Vale win and Northwich lose at home to Rochdale then they will have leapfrogged their Cheshire rivals by one point with all to play for in the final games on April 19.

If both clubs should collect maximum points then a similar scenario will be acted out a week later on foreign soil. The Vale visit Sandbach while Northwich travel to Leigh. Away games are notoriously difficult, but with the relegation vultures for company, there is added tension.

Some crumb of comfort for both clubs might be gleaned from the respective home records of their opponents. Fifth-placed Sandbach have won six of their 10 home games, with Leigh winning five and drawing one out of 10 and are in seventh place.

The away records of the Vale and Northwich unfortunately do not inspire confidence. The Vale have won once, 13-6 at Tyldesley. Northwich have recorded two away victories, also at Tyldesley and at Winnington Park.

In the head to heads against Sandbach and Leigh respectively both clubs lost at home, both on December 1.

The Vale threw away the chance of victory by failing to secure possession at a line-out, allowing the visitors to race away for a converted try and a 27-26 win. Leigh secured a comfortable 32-17 victory at Northwich.

Over the years, fixtures between the Vale and Lymm have tended to go with venue, but last season Lymm achieved their first double against the Vale.

Back in November the Vale lost at Beechwood, 29-7. At this stage, Lymm had only lost twice and were serious contenders for promotion, lying third.

But they then only won two of their next 10 league games in addition to having two points deducted, and are now eighth.

The outcome of Saturday's games could become a seminal chapter in the Vale's history, certainly over the past few weeks they have not enjoyed the luxury of George Herbert's "gentle path," but they yet might enjoy Robert Browning's "path of gold."

Last week Tchaikovsky's music provided the perfect emotional backdrop to the victory against New Brighton. In the build-up to the Lymm fixture the haunting, hypnotic, metronomic beat of Ravel's 'Bolero' with its outrageous climax, captures the imagination.

But unlike Torvill and Dean's perfect scores in the 1984 Winter Olympics, the Vale could also achieve the maximum points available but fail to take the prize that is on offer; artistic impression might have to put on the backburner and be replaced with good honest graft at Powder House Lane and Bradwell Road, Sandbach.