Swindon Supermarine were three points behind Racing Club Warwick at the start of play, safe in the knowledge that a win against Stourport Swifts would pull them away from the bottom of the Western Division for the first time this season.
It was mission accomplished for John Murphy's men a fine 3-1 victory.
Unfortunately, Warwick threw an enormous spanner in the works promptly winning their first game since October.
So it's as you were at the foot of the table, although Rocester have been sucked into the survival race, making for an intriguing three-way dog fight.
It could have been much worse for Murphy's men.
While Warwick were on their way to springing a surprise against Redditch, Marine trailed to the quickest goal of the season.
Burly Stourport striker Kerry Giddings took just 30 seconds to open his account.
Giddings picked up the ball inside the Marine area and smashed home through the grasp of Liam Bull before most of the spectators had taken their seats.
It was a disastrous start, and a Marine capitulation seemed the likely course of action.
But the hosts responded in the best possible fashion, levelling within five minutes.
Tom Jones whipped in a superb diagonal ball, and Adam Giles' diving header found the corner of the net.
It was Giles' fourth strike in six starts, and if Marine do manage to pull off the great escape, the striker's recent goal flurry will have played a major part.
The early action continued unabated, and the recalled Peter Macklin rattled the crossbar with an eighth-minute header.
After an explosive start, the remainder of the clash petered out and fans had to wait until the 60th-minute for something else to cheer about.
Tate Hulbert enjoying a new wing-back role searched out Giles with a raking cross, and the striker's header was poked home by Steve Bennett.
Bull was called into action during a tense finale, saving twice from Giddings despite suffering a dislocated finger from an earlier stop.
Marine survived the late scare though and wrapped it up in stoppage time when substitute James Cornfield celebrated his home debut with a well-taken goal from just inside the box.
Swindon Supermarine: Bull, Beaverstock, Hulbert, Jennings, Roper, Dunton, James, Jones, Bennett, Macklin (Smart), Giles (Cornfield). Not used: Winchcombe.
Attendance: 93.
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