It was 14 years ago, give a week or two, that Torquay United beat Cardiff City 1-0 on a Tuesday night at Plainmoor – record appearance maker Kevin Hill scored the goal – to set a club record of eight successive wins under head coach Kevin Hodges.

This afternoon, Martin Ling's Gulls will try to equal that storming run when they face Bradford City at Plainmoor. Just as they did in 1998, United seem to have come from nowhere.

In 98, they did it with the help of on-loan striker Jason Roberts, who was promptly recalled by Wolverhampton Wanderers after the victory over Cardiff.

Hodges' team, going for automatic promotion at the time, stuttered after his departure and eventually lost to Colchester United in the play-offs final at Wembley.

This time Ling is not about to lose any of his players, but United remain the most unlikely of promotion contenders. They have rampaged up the npower League two table, on a run which stretches much further back than just seven wins, after looking more like relegation candidates in October.

They are also operating on the smallest playing budget of any of their promotion rivals. It was ever thus, and it hardly concerns them one jot.

Ever since they beat Cheltenham Town on Tuesday to draw level with Southend United and the Robins on 56 points at the top of the League Two table, physiotherapist Damien Davey has been working to try and get midfielder Damon Lathrope over an ankle injury which forced his withdrawal at Whaddon Road.

The noises about Lathrope's fitness have not been optimistic, but Ling said: "If anyone can do it, Damien can. And he refuses to give up."

Chris McPhee, who replaced Lathrope at Cheltenham and then had to come off himself near the end with a badly bleeding nose, is pencilled in to play.

McPhee did a diligent job in a key role in midweek and, with Ling reluctant to muck about with his formation or personnel, he could have the chance to carry on today.

"It's a position that we know Chris can play – I know, because he did it twice for Kidderminster against me when I was at Cambridge United," Ling said.

The Gulls' boss also has to decide whether to retain striker Taiwo Atieno up front or recall joint leading scorer Rene Howe. Atieno, playing well at the moment, has the shirt.

United have a wrong to put right this afternoon. Ling said: "We lost up there in October during the dark times – in fact, Bradford away [1-0], Gillingham home [2-5] and Southend away [1-4], all in a row, were the darkest of the lot. It wasn't the best.

"Bradford were down to ten men, and we put on a poor performance against them. But we are a different proposition now, and a different team between the ears in terms of belief and confidence levels. But, the minute you expect something to happen in this game, it won't. So we can't expect to just turn up and railroad them."

The visit of Bradford might have prompted the return of former Torquay favourite Guy Branston, but, after a loan spell at Rotherham United and an injury, he may not figure.

The Bantams have had another disappointing season, but they do list high-flying Southend and Shrewsbury Town as two recent victims.

Off the pitch, Ling, having clinched a new two-and-a-half year contract with imposing goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik, continues to hold talks with Lathrope and defender Mark Ellis over new deals of their own. There are positive vibes about both.

The club's latest accounts have revealed a £116,000 profit on last season, after two years of worrying losses. And the new Bristow's Bench grandstand continues to rise above the Plainmoor skyline. Now for that record.

Torquay United (from): Olejnik, Rice; Oastler, Saah, Ellis, Nicholson, Lathrope, Morris, O'Kane, Mansell, Stevens, Atieno, Howe, Rowe-Turner, MacDonald, McPhee, Yeoman, Halpin, Macklin, Leadbitter, Craig, Palmer, Spear.

Doubtful: Lathrope (ankle).