ONE point per game would hardly be enough to satisfy a team battling to stay in the Premiership.

Yet it is for the want of such a modest haul that Wanderers are not in a Champions League position today.

All being well, they will not live to regret the six-match losing streak that brought a miserable end to what had previously been an enjoyable and successful 2004. But they cannot help but think what might have been had they not gone completely off the rails after drawing at Chelsea on November 20.

Defeat after demoralising defeat - Portsmouth, Everton, Norwich, Manchester City, Manchester United and Blackburn - had the alarm bells ringing.

Although they recovered to put together their best ever Premiership run of seven wins, two draws and one defeat, they still have a lot to do to claim a European place for the first time in the club's history.

"Just look where we would be if we had picked up just six points from those six games," Nicky Hunt said, studying the revised league table in his mind's eye.

"But we have believed in ourselves all season, ever since we got that first day result (a 4-1 win) at home to Charlton, and we've gone from strength to strength. We had that bad patch in December but phase three, as we call it, has been tremendous and we're pleased with that.

"We set out to get above what we did last season and so far, so good. Now we've just got to keep it going for the rest of the season.

"We've some tough games coming up, obviously Liverpool away next Saturday, but after that we've got four at home that will help."