Robbie Brown might make the headlines for scoring what turned out to be the winning goal in a pulsating game of football against visitors Nairn County, but it was the genius of Mike McKenzie who kept Vale on course by not only scoring two of the goals but also carving out the winner for Brown as time looked to be running out for the league leaders.
The visitors gave the Vale a real fright with a gutsy performance, which almost paid off when they deservedly led their hosts at the break only to be completely outclassed in the second period by a rampant home side.
Even with both Nigel Montgomery and Bryan Dlugonski available boss Gregg Carrol kept faith with the partnership of Ryan Pressley and Scott Anderson in the centre of defence, the duo having done the business so well on Vale's last outing versus Inverurie Locos.
With Darren McAllister unavailable Barrie Stephen got a rare starting place on the right side of midfield, a role which suits the electrifying pace of the young Aberdonian and puts the fear into any defender who has to play against him.
Although the game had been in doubt due to the amount of heavy rain Princess Royal Park had taken over the past few days the pitch got the all clear and was looking pretty good considering, with only a couple of small areas effected by the recent bad weather.

Vale kicked off and were quick out of the traps with Murray passing up and early chance when he side footed past the advancing Rae only to see his effort also go the wrong side of the upright. Urquhart then tested Rae with a snap shot from 20 yards, which the keeper saved comfortably. Nairn shocked the home side when on their first attack they look the lead. Dolan's attempted pass-back was intercepted by Barron and he punished the Vale defender when he lashed the ball past Speirs and high into the net off the underside of the crossbar.
Worse was to follow for Vale when Ryan Pressley was stretchered from the field when he clashed heads with MacMillan in the Vale penalty box. Dlugonski replaced the unfortunate Pressley with Seaton replacing MacMillan who was also unable to continue.
As the game got underway Farquhar's wind assisted drive was well held by Speirs and at the other end the out of sorts Murray failed to beat Rae with a close range header, which carried little power. Sinclair shaved the Vale upright when the home defence failed to deal with a County corner from the right.
On Vale's first corner of the match Dlugonski sliced well wide of Rae's goal before the visitors went into a two nil lead.
Barron was allowed to run at the home defence before crashing a low shot past the despairing hand of Fraser Speirs who only managed to help the ball onto the post before it trundled over the line. On the stroke of half time Rae brilliantly saved McKenzie's low drive with his legs when the striker looked sure to get Vale back in the game

I'm not sure what Gregg Carrol said to his players at the interval but it certainly worked as the Banffers came out for the second period a completely different side.
With only two minutes of the second forty-five played the homesters were right back in it. Mike McKENZIE firing an unstoppable drive under Rae from close range after a good piece of composure from Urquhart in the penalty box set up the chance for the on-song marksman. Paul URQUHART went from goal maker to goal taker a few minutes later when he out-jumped Ewing and Rae to head home from 6 yards to pull the Vale level.
Barrie Stephen went down in the box under a challenge from MacDonald but referee Cobb waved play on before Vale went into the lead for the first time in the match.
Mike McKENZIE scoring his second of the afternoon when he latched onto a Taylor pass before steering it past Rae from 16 yards.
Vale's lead was short lived when County showed they weren't going to lie down lightly and Holmes knocked the ball home from close range following a deep free kick from Farquhar, which completely eluded the home defence and keeper.
Kinghorn had to hack clear from under his own crossbar as the initiative swung towards the visitors in what was turning out to be a cracker for the large crowd inside Princess Royal Park. McKenzie fired just wide following a flowing move from the home side and then Holmes chested Brown's downward header off his own goal line as Vale looked for the winner. Brown completely misheaded in front of goal with only Rae to beat before the Red-Haired midfielder scored what turned out to be the winning goal. McKenzie went past three or four Nairn players showing some great skill in the process before playing the ball into the path of BROWN making it a simple case of slotting the ball past Rae which he did with great aplomb. Sponsor's man-of-the-match McKenzie should have made sure of the points for the home side but he screwed his shot wide of Rae's post when well placed.
Rae brilliantly tipped Urquhart's net bound drive over the top before substitute Ritchie Taylor, recalled form his loan spell with Hermes for the day, saw his effort beat Rae only to bounce back off the foot of the post in the last chance of the highly entertaining match.

Relieved boss Gregg Carrol said "I am delighted with the three points especially after being two down at the break. The players showed their commitment and work rate in the second half that they are renowned for and deservedly won the match through sheer perseverance and effort."