Barrie Stephen was the toast of the Vale fans on Saturday when the winger / come striker grabbed his nineteenth and twentieth of the season to see off a lacklustre Inverurie outfit who were totally outplayed by the slick visitors who also netted courtesy of Mark Chisholm's first-half header.
Vale controlled the game from start to finish and as well as scoring three goals were very well organised and workman-like in both defence and midfield, snuffing out the homeside and restricting them to very few opportunities over the ninety minutes.
Stephen, who was playing up front with Jamie Watt in the absence of the suspended Mike McKenzie tormented the Locos defence all afternoon and although the homeside finished the game with only nine men Vale deserve all the credit for churning out a difficult away victory, which was sweet revenge for the Aberdeenshire Shield final defeat at the hands of the hosts last November.
The very heavy playing surface survived a late inspection by referee Paul Cheyne who instructed that some of the surface water would have to be removed prior to kick off if the game was to go ahead.
Vale, in their light-blue away kit, kicked off proceedings with Gordon Farmer making his first start for the Banffers operating out on the left-wing and Paul Urquhart playing an unfamiliar wide right role in a four-four-two formation.

Locos, who were at full strength, started brightly and only a good body block from Mark Chisholm denied Ross a clear strike at goal before Stuart Gray was forced to hook clear after Dlugonski and Pressley had both failed to clear an awkward high ball into the Vale penalty box.
A decent through ball from Stephen split the home defence whilst picking out the run of Chisholm but Simpson, recently signed from Montrose, got back in the nick of time to clear the danger off the Vale midfielder's toe.
Gray fired well wide from 25-yards before Park brilliantly headed clear under pressure from both Watt & Chisholm following Stephen's tantalising cross into the six-yard box.
A great mazy run into the Locos penalty area from Barrie Stephen was well intercepted by the experienced Ian Thain before the cutback could reach the waiting Jamie Watt.
Gordon Farmer did well to get clear of marker John Young before firing across the face of the six-yard box but although the Locos' defence made a hash of clearing the ball, taking three attempts, the Vale strike force couldn't quite force something from the issue.
Vale were making all the running but it was the homeside who came closest to breaking the deadlock when McKay was allowed a free header 10-yards from goal but Ross Bremner was in the right place for the Banffers to make a comfortable save from the striker's weak effort.
At the other end Jamie Watt came even closer to opening the scoring when he raced into the box chasing a spillage from Thain after Steve Dolan had thundered a dipping drive towards goal, but somehow Park got a great block to turn the ball to safety when a goal looked certain.
Dolan then sprinted clear onto a through ball in behind the Locos defence but although the Vale captain beat Thain he failed to find the far corner of the net and the ball sailed a foot past the upright.
Ross fired high over the top from the edge of the penalty box before the Banffers deservedly went into a fortieth minute lead. Barry Stephen chased a long ball into the corner before swinging it into the box and Mark CHISHOLM did the rest, out-jumping the home defence to steer a header past the helpless Thain from 6 or 7-yards.
The homeside responded and won a freekick in a dangerous position one minute from the interval but again Ross blazed well over from the edge of the penalty box.

Vale won a corner kick shortly after the restart but Farmer's flag-kick was easily dealt with by the home defence and at the other end Ross headed tamelessly over, also from a set piece.
A Dolan freekick caused a bit of panic in the Inverurie box but it was eventually hacked clear and as the game swung to the other end Davidson came within inches of equalising when he headed past Bremner's right-hand post after Pressley had failed to get anything on Singer's deep cross to the far post. The visitors went two up on the hour mark with a superb solo effort from top-scorer Barrie STEPHEN. Barrie weaved his way towards the Locos 18-yard box before making just enough room to crack a low drilled effort into the far corner, which just squeezed it's way past the out-stretched hand of Ian Thain. Mark Chisholm should have made the points safe for the Banff side two minutes later but Thain rushed from his line to block at the midfielder's feet after "Chis" had found himself all alone at the edge of the Locos box.
Two minutes later Craig Ross was sent off by referee Cheyne after an off the ball incident, which was witnessed by the stand-side assistant, who immediately raised his flag to alert the man in the middle. Tommy Wilson, who was well marshalled by messers Chisholm and Kidd, had a long-range effort easily saved by Bremner before Thain was forced into a difficult save following Dolan's well-struck set-piece, which bounced awkwardly in front of the veteran keeper.
The travelling support were singing again in the eighty-first minute when Barrie STEPHEN make sure off all three points for the visitors when he struck a sweet penalty past Thain after the speedy hit-man had made good progress into the Locos 18-yard box before being hauled down by Park. Park became the second home player to be shown a red card for his troubles when referee Cheyne was left with little choice as the defender had deliberately stopped a goal scoring opportunity by taking down Barrie from behind. Stephen and Urquhart hit the side netting during the last ten minutes in which Vale gave the nine men the run around without managing to add to their goal tally.
To complete an enjoyable away day for the Banffers Barrie Stephen was voted sponsors man-of-the-match.

Vale manager Gregg Carrol was quite rightly delighted with his team's performance, which was the perfect tonic for next Saturday's League Cup encounter with Keith at Princess Royal when he said, "I thought everyone of my players were top drawer and worked their socks off for both the club and each other. I'm not one for singling players out but I thought Stuart Gray had a superb ninety minutes and to be honest our next game can't come soon enough after a very difficult month or so for Deveronvale Football Club".
Carrol went on to say "Once we went in front we never looked like losing the game and full credit to the players for making it a pleasure to both watch and manage them. We've certainly got the team spirit back which was sadly missing a few weeks back and long may it continue".

Vale:
Bremner, Dolan (Cpt.), Gray, Chisholm, Dlugonski, Pressley, Farmer (McAllister 75), Kidd, #Stephen (Sharp 90), Watt, Urquhart
Subs not used: - Munro, Phimister (GK)

Locos: Thain, #Young, Buchan (Allan 65), Wilson, Simpson, ##Park, Singer (Low 65), Davidson (Reid 75), Coull, ##Ross, McKay
Subs not used: - Copeland, Fraser


Referee: P.Cheyne