Vale lost all three points at home for only the second time this season but more importantly look to have blown their chances of lifting the league title when they lost out to local rivals Buckie Thistle courtesy of two well-taken John Coutts strikes.
A lacklustre performance from Gregg Carrol's side, coinciding with some pretty poor defending it has to be said, saw Vale gift both goals to their hosts while upfront they failed to find the back of the net in a competitive match for the first time at Princess Royal for almost a year.
Duncan Shearer's side on the other hand have put themselves right back in contention in the exciting league race when they lept-frogged their hosts into fourth place in the table although the Jags have played two more games than the Banffers.

Vale were forced into a change in this must win game due to Mark Slater's unavailability but Gregg Carrol strangely elected for some major changes in an effort to find the right blend which has been missing of late although had brought results.
Steve Dolan was moved to the left-hand side of midfield and Danny Craib was re-instated to the left-back berth.
Terry Kidd was also to get a start after missing out in Vale's last game against Wick Academy and he partnered Kenny Gilbert in Vale's engine room.
The visitors were missing the injured Donnie Munro in their midfield but Neil Davidson was available although he was about to begin a four game ban from Monday as Thistle went looking to avenge two defeats they had suffered to Vale earlier this season.

Buckie kicked off the contest facing the stiff North Easterly breeze and came close early on when the lively John Coutts swivelled inside the Vale penalty box before shooting just wide of Ross Bremner's left-hand upright.
With ten minutes on the clock Bremner pulled off a super save to deny Coutts but the whistle had already gone for handball against the former Cove striker.
At the other end a super pick-out from Mike McKenzie found Steve Dolan in a decent position but his cushioned header to the unmarked Jamie Watt was well intercepted by David Angus.

Mark Smith, who worked tirelessly from box to box the whole afternoon, fired a decent effort over the top from the junction of the 18-yard box after patient build-up play from Dolan and McKenzie.
Terry Kidd kicked a goal-bound effort to safety after Ross Bremner didn't get enough distance on a Franny More corner, setting up the unmarked Duncan Stewart in the process.
Midway through the first half saw the visitors take the lead but it isn't one that Vale skipper Bryan Dlugonski would want to see again. "Dougal" delayed clearing his lines when he had the chance allowing John Coutts to nip in and take possession and credit to the wee striker as he took full advantage as he twisted and turned Mark Chisholm before unleashing an accurate finish beyond Bremner and into the bottom corner.
A decent cut-back from the right bye-line from Mark Smith saw no takers inside the Thistle penalty area as Vale responded.
Then Jamie Watt's pass from the opposite side of the 6-yard box played in Steve Dolan but the defender come midfielder fired high over the top to a sigh of disappointment from the large home support. Vale had a lucky escape at the other end when Mike MacDonald completely lost the flight of the ball as it arrived to him unmarked inside the penalty area and he somehow managed to head away from goal whilst in a great position.
A poor long-range effort from Terry Kidd flew well over the crossbar as the interval approached with Gregg Carrol's side looking for some much needed inspiration from the half-time team talk.

Mark Chisholm's header was comfortable saved by Kevin Main as Vale came out showing some urgency in their play at the beginning of the second period.
Jamie Watt thought he had equalised soon after when he poked home a Steve Dolan low cross but the far-side assistant had his flag up early for offside against the scorer.
A super run from one end of the field to the other by Mark Smith very nearly brought the equaliser Vale were so desperate for but in the end "Rusty" didn't even work the keeper. Smith had picked up a throw out from Ross Bremner before ghosting past three or four visiting players but after playing a fortunate one-two with a Buckie defender he squeezed his effort agonisingly wide of the post with the goal at his mercy.
The miss was to prove costly for Gregg Carrol's boys because five minutes later they found themselves trailing by two goals to nil and it was another very poorly defended goal.

Terry Kidd gave away possession in the middle of the park before the ball was fed out wide to John Coutts but even then there looked to be no danger with the scorer appearing to be marked by Danny Craib who was correctly goal-side but the inexperienced defender tamely let Coutts turn inside allowing the striker a clear run at goal and he took full advantage when he placed another sweet left-footed strike out of the reach of Ross Bremner and yet again into the bottom corner.
The visiting support were really enjoying their away day until the unfortunate Coutts chased a long ball before falling awkwardly and had to be carried off and had to be replaced by Jamie Shewan.

As if Gregg Carrol hadn't enough to worry about Mike McKenzie limped off after sixty minutes with what looked like a thigh injury and Graeme Cadger, who unfortunately failed to really get into the pace of the game, replaced him.
Jamie Watt volleyed a Mark Chisholm cushioned header well over near the end but it was as close as it got for the deflated Banffers.
Scorer John Coutts was voted the sponsors man-of-the-match

Gregg Carrol was no doubt that his side still had a chance of winning the league when he said, "yes of course we can still win it although if we play like we did today then the answer is no but I'm not for throwing the towel in just yet.
Carrol continued, "We simply lacked creation today and although Buckie created very little too two defensive errors cost us at the very least a point.
I thought we were terrible in the first half but to be fair the players did much better in the second but it wasn't to be and the second goal killed us after Mark Smith had came oh so close to equalising, but that's football".