Ross Bremner emerged as the hero for Vale as he defied his critics in fine style with a wonderful treble save shortly after the re-start, inspiring his side to go on and pick up an unlikely three points after they had fallen behind to free flowing hosts, Wick Academy.
The big keeper spread himself at the feet of the pacy and dangerous Craig Gunn before quickly getting up to block the rebound twice before Bryan Dlugonski eventually cleared the ball off the line. From there Vale went on to pick up all three points thanks to a wonderful Mike McKenzie volley and a scrappy late goal from Mark Chisholm, his eleventh of the season, in a much needed morale boosting victory for the Banff side.
Gregg Carrol made the enforced changes to his line-up following the automatic suspensions of Ian Murray and Robbie Brown following the red cards picked up last Saturday, replacing Murray with Jamie Watt up top and bringing the available again Paul Urquhart and Stuart Gray back into starting eleven. There was still no place for Gordon Farmer who had to make do with a place on the bench alongside the dropped Ian Campbell and Darren McAllister.
Wick's emerging local hero Craig Gunn passed a late fitness test to boost the home side as they went looking for their first victory over the Banffers for five years.

Academy got the game underway in near perfect conditions although the playing surface was rather bumpy and started to cut-up very early on in the match and this wasn't helped by sporadic wintry showers although both sides did their best to put on a decent performance in front of the fairly low crowd.
Considering the long journey Vale started brightly and a super ball into Mike McKenzie's chest from Barrie Stephen was cleared by the home defence before the striker could wrap his foot around the ball. Chisholm was then through on goal but MacMillan did well to save at the midfielder's feet after he had been sent through by the hard working Mike McKenzie.
It wasn't a surprise when Vale raced into the lead on their next flurry into the Academy box, Paul URQUHART finishing off a patient build up to beat MacMillan at his near post after a perfectly weighted pass from Jamie Watt picked out "Yogi's" late run into the penalty box.
Wick replied and won themselves a freekick in a dangerous position but the visitor's defensive wall did their job deflecting the ball wide from Martin Gunn's well-struck effort for a fruitless corner. Craig Gunn fired well over the top after he had made good progress into Vale's 18-yard box as Academy started to dominate the midfield areas. At the other end Jamie Watt forced MacMillan into a save with his legs following a decent volleyed effort from the striker with his weaker left foot.
Bremner picked out a dangerous Gunn cross before the waiting Nicol or Shearer could capitalise but the keeper could do very little minutes later when the home side equalised.
A threaded ball in behind Vale's rather flat looking defence found the run of the lightening quick Craig Gunn and the youngster made no mistake when he fired low into the corner to haul his team level.
Vale went up the other end and won their third corner kick when Chisholm was out-jumped to a Dolan centre and from the resulting set-piece came very close to getting their noses back in front. Stephen's flag kick worked it's way past a ruck of players to the far post where it found the unmarked Jamie Watt but from a slightly difficult angle the wee striker could only hit the upright.
Wick went straight down the slope and Nicol put his side into the lead with a low drive from the edge of the box when a low cross from the right was allowed to make it's way to the unmarked striker with Vale's defence again looking rather disjointed.
Captain for the day Steve Dolan tried to get his side back on level terms with a quickly taken free kick but MacMillan was on his toes and saved comfortably.
A mistake by Ryan Pressley was pounced on by Nicol but he sliced his effort wide after Bremner had raced from his line to narrow the angle.
Just on half time Kidd and Watt combined to create an opening for the Reds but the latter fired a few inches wide of the far post with MacMillan scrambling to get down to the low drive across the face of his goal.

Vale won an early corner as they came out for the second half looking for a quick equaliser but the home defence easily cleared Stephen's centre from the left.
On a quick breakaway Wick came very close to taking what would surely have been an unassailable lead but Vale had keeper Ross Bremner to thank when he twice denied Gunn and then Nicol with point blank saves before Bryan Dlugonski got back on the goal-line to head clear after the Wick strikers had finally managed to beat the Vale number one.
Bremner was forced into another stop this time from Manson who very nearly forced the ball in at the post if it hadn't been for the sharp reflexes of the big keeper who somehow managed to get down and knock the ball to safety.
The near misses from the home side seem to inspire Vale and they more or less dominate the remainder of the match taking heart from the heroics of their keeper and perhaps believing it was going to be their day. Chisholm just failed to get enough on a Gray cross after out-jumping the home defence before the industrious Paul Urquhart had an effort blocked by the Scorie's defence.
A decent run into the box from Barrie Stephen opened up the Academy defence but his centre was just missed by the waiting McKenzie before Watt's effort was deflected wide from the edge of the penalty box.
Mike McKENZIE scored a peach of an equaliser, only his ninth of the campaign but worth waiting for, when he volleyed home from 16-yards after he had played an exquisite one-two with strike partner Watt before sweeping the ball past MacMillan with his instep.
Manson replied at the other end as Academy again broke quickly but his final effort after having done the hard bit went well-wide of Bremner's left-had post.
With fifteen minutes remaining Gordon Farmer entered the fray for his first run out for the Banffers when he replaced Jamie Watt and immediately took up a position wide left as Gregg Carrol went all out for the three points.
Chisholm spurred a great chance for the visitors when he Gray's low cross seemed to land perfectly for him six yards from goal but somehow the midfielder missed the ball completely before being cleared. McKenzie and Stephen both fired over the top from outside the area as the Banffer's kept pressing for the winner and then Farmer dribbled his way into the penalty area but he too knocked his effort high and over MacMillan's crossbar much to the disappointment of the sparse travelling support.
With only four minutes left on the clock Mark CHISHOLM finally grabbed the winner, although scrappy it was to say the least and on another day perhaps even a foul on the keeper but Vale weren't caring and celebrated in style after the midfielder had forced the ball home from close range after MacMillan and "Chis" had collided as they went to meet a low Gray cross inside the six-yard box.
To put a complete damper on Vale's away victory their dressing rooms were ransacked during the match and the police had to be called as some of the players had money, valuables and clothing stolen, although some did receive their goods back after the stash was found by the local constabulary close to the ground.

Understandably Vale manager Gregg Carrol was delighted to see his young side pick up three very hard earned and perhaps fortunate three points.
Carrol said, "We showed great character and commitment to churn out the points at a very difficult Harmsworth Park where it's never easy to win. The boys worked their socks off and although Wick were unfortunate to come away with nothing from the ninety minutes we pressed from the off and were totally in control until we allowed them back in and equalise. Once we found ourselves 2-1 down I knew it was going to be very tough but the boys dug deep and thanks to Ross Bremner's saves, which turned the game, we managed to go on and find the equaliser and the late winner".
Carrol said he was looking forward to Vale's next match although they don't come any harder than Table Toppers Fraserburgh at Princess Royal next Saturday.

Wick
MacMillan, Cowie, #Reid, McCallum, MacLeod, #Manson, M. Gunn, Shearer, McCadie, Nicol (Henderson 76), C. Gunn (Weir 68)
Subs not used: - Davidson, Brown, MacGregor

Vale:
Bremner, Dolan, Gray (cpt.), Chisholm, Dlugonski, Pressley, B. Stephen, Kidd, Watt (Farmer 75), McKenzie, Urquhart (McAllister 89)
Subs not used: - Sharp, Campbell, Phimister (GK)



Referee: R.Main