Vale travelled along the Moray Coast to face close and fierce rivals Buckie on Wednesday evening knowing that if they could take something from the game they would go back to the summit of the table for the first time since February. The home side were certainly going to do Vale no favours in their quest for the title and a real tough and full-blooded contest was in prospect.
Deveronvale welcomed Ian Murray back after injury, although he could only make a place on the bench. Paul Urquhart was restored to Vale's midfield at the expense of Derek Craigie who joined Paul Stewart, Darren McAllister and Fraser Speirs as one of the substitutes.
Thistle had ex-Vale skipper Steven Rattray missing through injury. Vale were led out by stand-in skipper Ryan Pressley after Nigel Montgomery missed out due to an ankle injury picked up during Saturday's win over Lossiemouth.
The jags kicked off after losing the toss with Vale electing to play up the Victoria Park slope for the first forty-five minutes.
A furious start saw both sides find it difficult to string their passes together until Rae, under pressure form Chisholm, dropped an Urquhart cross but no-one in a red shirt was on hand to capitalise. A mistake by Anderson gave Watt a glimpse of goal but the defender was quick to get back and block the latter's effort. Grant blasted wide from 18 yards at the other end as Buckie's three-prong strike force gave the Vale defence a few problems as they tried to clear their lines.
More cut-inside the Thistle box but his weak left-foot shot didn't trouble Rae in the Buckie goal. Vale took 27 minutes to win their first corner of the match but Brown failed to keep Kinghorn's kick down and the ball sailed over the top. Watt picked out More with a diagonal pass but the wide-man failed to take advantage at the back post and the ball drifted out for a goal kick. Dolan had to hook clear from under his own crossbar after Thompson parried Craik's close range drive onto the face of the woodwork.
More and Brown were booked in quick succession by referee Duff before Watt went down in the Buckie box under a challenge from Anderson but the referee waved play on. Thompson had to save low to his left off Holmes when the Vale defence failed to conclusively clear a Stephen free kick.

More was clean through on Rae just after the break but the big keeper sprinted from his goal line and did enough to put the Vale player off as he tried to knock the ball past the advancing goalie. Thompson parried Craik's cross into the path of Dolan who completed the clearance and as Vale broke upfield Watt ran clear of the Buckie rearguard only to see his shot beat Rae but come back off the post and hacked to safety by Lamberton.
McPherson was first to a Green flick but the ball fell the wrong side of Thompson's right-hand post with the keeper scrambling desperately across his goal. Vale won a an indirect free kick inside the home side's box when Rae handled a pass back but Dolan's effort was charged down by the Thistle defensive wall. Minutes later Dolan had another opportunity from a set piece this time from just outside the 18-yard box but although Rae failed to hold "Dippy's" low drive Lamberton cleared the loose ball off the line and to safety.
The visitors finally took the lead, much to the delight of the large Vale support, with only seven minutes remaining. Substitute Ian Murray won a free kick out on the left and the same player swung in a dangerous cross which was met by Gary NICOL who prodded the ball past Rae from 6 yards. Vale's celebrations were short lived however when Green equalised two minutes later. The substitute flicking home a loose ball from close range when the Vale defence failed to deal with a Craik centre. More ran clear down the right as the final whistle loomed but his cross was cut out by Rae with Nicol and Watt well placed in the Buckie box.
Vale Manager Gregg Carrol who saw his side go back to the top of the table accepted that a draw on the night was fair although the defending which led to the Buckie equaliser disappointed him. "The first half belonged to the home side without them really troubling our defence and in the second we put them under a fair bit of pressure prior to us taking the lead and although we switched off after scoring we have to be happy with a point away from home against a decent side".