STEVE Bruce admitted his relief after Hull City rode their luck to take another step towards the Premier League.
The Tigers were beaten 1-0 at Wolves last night but held on to their six-point advantage thanks to Millwall, who grabbed a late 1-0 victory over third-placed Watford.
City now need just four points from their final three games to seal automatic promotion to the top flight alongside leaders Cardiff.
Victory over Bristol City, who were relegated to League One last night, on Friday would leave Watford needing to win all of their remaining games, and could see a top-two spot sealed at the weekend.
Bruce will call on his side to quickly banish memories of an unusually flat defeat to Wolves and bounce back with a win that will take them to the brink of the Premier League.
"We're quietly confident but you can't take anything for granted," said Bruce.
"We've been done a favour by other people failing to get a result so we have to take advantage ourselves.
"We've been helped. It's another game gone and now we need four points. We've got Bristol City at home on Friday and then Barnsley away, so we know we're capable.
"Playing Friday night can help us. It would be a wonderful advantage if we can take it. It's in our hands and it would be a giant leap forward if we can get a result.
"We're never doing things easy and it's written in the DNA of this club to do it the hard way. But to be in this position is a wonderful achievement so we just need to keep calm and get over the line."
City were well short of their best last night when beaten by a Wolves side fighting for survival at the foot of the Championship.
Kevin Doyle's 55th-minute winner punished a mistake from debutant Ahmed Fathi and settled a contest that could have gone either way.
"I couldn't see us getting beaten, I have to say I thought we were dominant," added Bruce.
"We were caught in possession through Fathi, who had a wonderful debut, and then you started to feel it wasn't going to be our night.
"We then gave them two or three more opportunities through our mistakes.
"All season we've prided ourselves on not making mistakes. It would have been nice to get a result but we have to go again on Friday now. We live to fight another day."
City will check the fitness of captain Robert Koren today after he was forced off in the first half with a calf strain. The Slovenian is already rated as a doubt for Friday.
Paul McShane, who had previously been ruled out for the remainder of the season with ankle ligament damage, at least provided City with cause for encouragement from the treatment room.
The versatile defender was an unused sub at Molineux and will push for a place in the final three games.
