Keith completed the league double over Deveronvale when they scraped a two one victory at wind-swept Princess Royal Park thanks to first half strikes through Dean Donaldson and Graeme Cadger to put a severe dent in Vale's championship hopes.
The visitors opened the scoring through when Donaldson's corner completely eluded Ross Bremner and landed up in the net and although Barrie Stephen squared the match with a superb equaliser, ex-Vale striker Graeme Cadger won the points with a counter right on half time just after Keith had been reduced to ten men with the dismissal of Steve King.
It was another titanic battle between the two sides following hard on the heels of the set-to at Kynoch Park two weeks ago and Vale must be wondering what they have to do to get a much needed win after losing out by the odd goal for the third week in a row. The visitors went into the match without striker Derek Smith and defender Wayne McKay as they went looking for a sixth successive victory while Vale were minus flu victim Robbie Brown and the unavailable Ryan Pressley in their quest for a morale boosting victory.

The Banffers got off to a shaky start and Mark Chisholm was forced to turn a dangerous looking cross out for a corner, which was eventually mopped up by skipper Scott Anderson. However on Vale's first raid upfield they also won a corner and came very close to grabbing the lead. Dolan swung in the flag-kick and Chisholm headed the ball on into the six yard box to Barrie Stephen but Shearer got down to parry the ball following Stephen's poked effort and then Niddrie did well to deflect the ball wide after Stephen had reacted quickly to Shearer's spillage and forced the ball goalwards yet again. A great pass in behind the Maroons defence found Steve Dolan on the ascendancy but although the defender made good space for himself his final ball failed to find the waiting McKenzie or Stephen inside the danger area.
Bremner did well to palm a Lonie low freekick to safety after Stuart Gray had completely missed his clearance at the near post. Derek Nicol then headed a decent chance over the top following another Lonie set piece from the left. As Vale battled against the strong wind the visitors pinned them back and Anderson and Dlugonski combined well to deny Nicol another scoring opportunity as Keith applied more pressure on the Banffer's defence.
Donaldson was next to try his luck but after eluding tackles from both Dolan and Chisholm the midfielder skied his shot well over from 25-yards. Nicol almost broke clear on the half hour mark but the far-side assistant referee stopped the striker in his tracks with a quickly raised flag for offside.
Barrie Stephen's turn and strike from just outside the penalty box warmed Shearer's hands but the number one held on comfortably.
Keith took the lead in rather strange circumstances when Bremner allowed Donaldson's wind-assisted corner kick to sneak over his outstretched hand and nestle in the far corner of the net for yet another soft goal to concede for the Banffers, not for the first time this season.
Vale's response was a Dolan corner, which was partially cleared to Mike McKenzie but Robertson did well to block the ball before it could trouble his keeper. Levi Stephen then volleyed over the top from the edge of the area as Vale kept up the momentum.
Barrie STEPHEN continued his rich of form when he pulled Vale level five minutes form the interval with a great solo effort. "Baz" picked up a pass from Mike McKenzie before tuning his marker inside out and finished off with a sweet strike into the corner past the helpless Andy Shearer to complete his sixth goal in as many games.
A minute later just as Stephen played a one two at the edge of the Keith penalty box the young striker was completely floored by Steve King right in front of referee Paul Cheyne who was left with no choice other than to send the Keith veteran defender for an early bath. Although the incident looked to take place inside the area no penalty was awarded and play continued with a wasted McAllister corner kick.
Right on the stroke of the half-time whistle Graeme Cadger put his side back into the lead when he ran in behind the home defence to collect a Still through ball before confidently knocking the ball past Ross Bremner to score what turned out to be the winning goal.

Scott Anderson's timely tackle denied Donaldson as the Maroons came out the more confident of the two sides at the start of second period. Then on a quick break upfield Mark Chisholm blasted well wide after being picked out by Barrie Stephen's cross-field pass.
As the rain started to sweep down Princess Royal Bruce Morrison fired a free kick way over the top from distance before Darren McAllister thought he had pulled his side level. A corner from the left was only cleared out as far as "Daz" but the winger's drive was inches wide of the upright.
Paul Urquhart then headed narrowly wide following a Gray cross from the right. As Vale piled on the pressure the in-rushing Mark Chisholm just failed to collect Gray's pass over the Keith defence in his stride.
Cadger then had a great chance to make sure of the points for the visitors but Ross Bremner did just enough to deflect the ball wide for a corner. From the resultant flag-kick Niddrie volleyed well over from a good position with the home defence posted missing. Lonie and Cadger both headed narrowly wide as Keith applied some pressure at the other end but Vale's recently battered defence stood strong.
Gregg Carrol changes things to a back three as time started to work against his side with Gray and Dolan pressing down the flanks and Mark Chisholm pushed into a deeper role to help out Anderson and Dlugonski. Vale came close to squaring the match when Bryan Dlugonski's deflected well-struck drive cannoned off the face of the crossbar but lady luck isn't shining on the Banff side and the ball fell to safety. Paul Urquhart then looked sure to score after Shearer could only parry Dolan's low strike across his 6-yard box but "Yogi" could only hit the side netting with his out stretched right boot.
The stubborn Keith defence were only just holding the home side at bay although they were starting to tire as Vale continued to apply the pressure without really looking like grabbing the equaliser they richly deserved.
Sponsors' man-of-the-match Barrie Stephen came oh so close to grabbing his second with a super curling effort, which was heading for the top corner but Andy Shearer was having none of it and produced a top-drawer save to turn the ball around his post in what proved to be the last chance of the match.

So another defeat leaves Vale with a real uphill struggle now if they are to successfully defend their league championship but you just never know in football as boss Gregg Carrol pointed out, "It's far from over yet but we've certainly made it far for ourselves" pointed out Carrol. "But we'll keep going knowing that we've been through a rough spell recently without getting any rub of the green and these things can balance out over the season for any club. Clach are looking strong favourites at present but there's a long way to go yet and I'm sure they will drop points along the way too", said an optimistic Carrol.
On the Keith performance Carrol said "we didn't play well at all and I thought the visitors thoroughly deserved the points with some great determination and closing down play throughout the ninety minutes. Sure we're not getting much luck just now but the players have got to realise that you have to work hard for a wee rub of the green and that's' what's lacking at present along with a bit of passion and commitment from certain players".

Vale:
Bremner, Dolan, Gray (Campbell 82), Chisholm, Dlugonski, Anderson, McAllister, L. Stephen, McKenzie, B. Stephen, Urquhart
Subs not used: - Kidd, Watt, Sharp, Phimister (GK)
Keith
Shearer, Morrison, D. Stephen, Robertson, #Niddrie, ##King, #Still, Lonie (Brown 70), Cadger (Walker 88), Nicol, Donaldson (Reid 83)
Subs not used: - K. McKenzie, Calder

Referee:Paul Cheyne