Do Torquay United have what it takes to escape the relegation zone?

After 20 games, Torquay United sat rock bottom of the National League with a mere 11 points following a three-game losing streak.
Now, after 22 games, the Gulls have 17 points and are just four points from safety. After defeating promotion contenders Sutton, who went to the top of the league on 25th November, and then winning a relegation six-pointer against the manager-less Leyton Orient, Torquay look primed to claw their way out of the bottom four, but can they do it?
Sutton United had not lost at home since the start of September, a whole six games before Torquay United came to town. But after 90 minutes of aggressive play and strong tackling from the visitors, they found themselves without any points, losing 1-0 to a 10th-minute goal from the Gulls’ top scorer, Ruairi Keating.
Based on their next showing, toppling one of the best teams in the league gave Torquay real belief, as they went on to hammer Leyton Orient.
Torquay have struggled to score goals and keep goals out of their own net this season, but Josh McQuoid’s 15th-minute finish set the tone in the home team’s favour as they went on to defend well and score two more against the disjointed East London club. The game even saw new French striker Guy Gnabouyou – who impressed for the reserves with two goals – make his debut for the Gulls in the last ten minutes.
Torquay’s recent rise to third from bottom has been aided by the form of those around them. Over the last five games, the Gulls have amassed more wins than the rest of the bottom five put together, with just two wins. Sitting above them in the table, Chester, Leyton Orient, Eastleigh, and Halifax are all without a win in their last five games as well.
However, Torquay have a very tough run of games in the fixtures list. Next up is the very in-form Aldershot Town, and then Tranmere Rovers, both of whom are in the top half of the table with Torquay likely at long odds in the football betting markets to take all three points in each match. But, if the Gulls can keep the goals flowing and continue to play tough, competitive football, they could see themselves with a couple more points from the next two outings.
The problem is that Torquay need to keep this high tempo of play going to have a chance of avoiding the drop. Over the last two seasons, fourth from bottom has been relegated with 50 points in 2016/17 and 48 points in 2015/16. Since Gary Owers took over in September, Torquay United have earned 14 points from 12 games which, at their current rate of point accumulation, would only sit them on 45 points come the end of the season.
Prior to losing 2-0 to AFC Fylde, Owers called for an attitude change in the dressing room, saying that they “need a bit of a devil about the place,” per BBC Sport. That sentiment seemed to ring in a game later against Sutton, with the team showing a lot more hustle and tenacity, which inspired a thrashing of Leyton Orient. The Gulls have to ride this hot streak for as long as they can and make up for lost time if they are to move out of the drop zone, as well as winning other integral relegation six-pointers.
Torquay United’s next game will entail them playing host to Aldershot Town on 2nd December, before they travel to face Tranmere Rovers on 9th December.