THERE must be something rather unsavoury in the south coast water supply this season.

Whatever it is must have leaked into the drinks bottles of players throughout the region, with the area's football teams all struggling to get rid of what has become an increasingly sour taste.

It has been a miserable campaign spent studying the wrong end of league tables for fans of Southampton, Weymouth, Dorchester Town and, in particular, Cherries, whose on-field woes have only been superseded by the well-publicised and drawn out boardroom saga.

Only Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth, who are eagerly awaiting a rare FA Cup final trip to Wembley, have bucked the trend of the struggling southerners. But given the form the boys in blue have enjoyed this season, they've probably been far too busy sipping champagne to worry about what's been coming out of the Fratton Park taps.

The bubbly could be on ice for Cherries, too, providing results go favourably in the final two weeks of an eventful campaign.

A positive outcome against Crewe Alexandra tomorrow afternoon could extend the dream of the Dean Court faithful, with their in-form team set to embark on the latest phase of their unlikely survival mission.

Despite a remarkable recent run, during which Kevin Bond's side have strung together their best winning sequence of the season, Cherries are staring down the barrel of relegation from League One.

A few months ago, there was no sign of such a battle - Cherries looked dead and buried.

So it is to the enormous credit of all involved that they have forged an opportunity to write their names into the club's history books by completing the most miraculous of escapes.

And it's not just the players who can make a difference in today's crucial clash. The fans also have a big part to play if Cherries are to follow Weymouth's lead, rather than the unwanted relegation route taken by doomed Dorchester.

We're led to believe that tickets have been shifting faster than for a Spice Girls gig and that a sell-out crowd could be on the cards.

Who knows how much cash is left in the club's kitty, so the more gate money received today the better. The club's administrator Gerald Krasner tells us that "every penny helps" and a large paying public is perhaps more important today than ever before.

The need for a vociferous home crowd is also imperative when Bond's men take the field this afternoon. Daily Echo/Micky Cave Trophy winner Danny Hollands acknowledged in today's paper that backing from the Dean Court stands is much appreciated by the players, so let that act as a rallying cry ahead of the season's biggest match.

In hard times, they say you find out who your real friends are. So put aside your feelings towards the individuals involved today and show you are a true friend of the club by piling through the turnstiles.

If your chanting and backing helps the team to victory, then the dream machine will travel north to Carlisle next week and Cherries will live to fight another day in this most unbelievable of campaigns.

And should the desired result not be forthcoming against Crewe, at least you will be able to sleep safe in the knowledge that you did all you could to help.