Champions Clach put on a sparkling performance to see off visitors Vale with two goals sandwiched between the interval and although substitute Terry Kidd did manage to pull one back for the Banff side the loss of Graeme Cadger midway through the second half proved vital as Vale run out of steam near the end when it looked as though they might just snatch a point.
McCraw slid the ball past Bremner after running onto a Charlie Christie flick although the lively striker, who deservedly picked the man-of-the-match award, looked a good three or four yards offside before he opening the scoring. Davie Ross made it two when he took full advantage of some hesitancy by the Vale defence but once down to ten men Vale forced their way back into the game thanks to Terry Kidd's first goal of the season almost grabbed an equaliser near the end through Stuart Gray.
Gregg Caroll was again without Steve Dolan (Work) and Mark Chisholm, who did start some light training over the past few days, but saw Ryan Pressley and Mark Slater restored to the line-up to partner each other at the heart of his defence.
Clach sprung a surprise when they fielded Inverness Caledonian legend Charlie Christie who was earlier released to allow him to make his debut for the "Lillywhites".

Clach who had failed to win a league match so far this term made a very bright start with Bruce McCraw showing Ryan Pressley a clean pair of heels before firing into the side netting from a decent goal-scoring position.
A neat move involving Stuart Gray and Graeme Cadger set up Jamie Watt at the other end but Ridgers pulled off a decent stop when he dived full length to palm the ball to safety.
As the game flowed fast and furiously from one end to the other Watt just failed to pick out strike partner Cadger with a cushioned header into his path and at the other end Mitchell clipped the outside of the post with a low drive from the edge of the area.
McCraw thought he had opened the scoring when he raced clear of Mark Slater but Bremner made a terrific save to deny the striker.
Bremner and Slater combined to clear as Clach forced three corners in succession whilst pinning the visiting defence back deep inside their own half.
Stuart Gray pulled down McCraw right on the edge of the penalty area but Pressley cleared from the resultant set piece to keep the "Lillywhites" at bay once more.
Vale broke quickly but Cadger had strayed into an offside position when picked out by Watt's pass unmarked and 20-yards from goal.
Lowe headed narrowly wide from Neil MaCuish's driven cross before the midfielder was cautioned along with Robbie Brown for an off the ball incident which also saw Brown see yellow from referee Baxter for his part in the fracas.
Ross Bremner denied McCraw yet again with a marvellous one-handed save off the Clach number nines' looping header, which looked sure to nestle into the top corner.
The strong wide wasn't helping Vale's back four cope with the constant pressure they were being put under by their hosts who really looked up for this game after losing the previous weekend to visitors Cove Rangers.
Lewis stabbed an effort over the top when put through with only Bremner but the inevitable happened just five minutes later when the home side swept into the lead.
A goal kick from Ridgers was headed on by Christie and although McCraw looked suspiciously offside the striker ran on to prod the ball past the helpless Bremner.
Pressley came within inches of scoring an own goal when his attempted clearance got caught in the wind and bounced dangerously past Bremner's upright for a wasted corner to the Inverness side.
Bremner's poor clearance was picked up by McCraw a minute before the break but the keeper redeemed himself when he sprinted from goal to clear off the boot of the striker before he could double his tally for the afternoon.

Vale came out for the second period looking for a way back into the match and had a shout for a penalty turned down by referee Baxter when Dlugonski worked his way past MacKay only to be thwarted by what looked like the hand of MacLeod but the decision from the man in the middle was play on.
A floated freekick into Vale's penalty box was poorly dealt with by the home defence and they were punished accordingly when Davie Ross swept the ball past Bremner to put the home side on easy street. Davie Ross almost grabbed a sensational second five minutes later when his well-struck drive cannoned off the upright before Bremner clutched the rebound in mid-air off Mitchell's follow-up.
Stuart Gray had Ridgers at full stretch with a 25-yard curling effort which missed the goal by the closest of margins as Vale kept working away looking for their first goal against their hosts for over a year or so.
Vale's best move of the match followed Gray's near miss with the Banffers stringing ten or more passes together until Jamie Watt was presented with an opportunity well inside the Clach penalty box but the off-form hit-man fired disappointingly straight at Ridgers when either side would have brought Vale a sure goal.
Graeme Cadger was yellow carded for foolishly kicking the ball away after handling accidentally and within two minutes saw red when referee Baxter chose to hand the striker a second yellow for a late challenge on McCuish as he cleared.
Ross Bremner, who had a fine game in between the sticks for the visitors, kept Vale in it again when he saved well from Charlie Christie before Kidd pulled a goal back for Gregg Carrol's men.
A well-worked move down the right involving mark Smith and Stuart Gray set-up Jamie Watt 10-yards from goal and he in turn laid the ball back to KIDD who fired an unstoppable shot past the static Ridgers to hand Vale a lifeline.
Mike McKenzie fizzed a well-hit grounder narrowly past the far post with Ridgers well beat before Christie should have made it safe for his new club when he cut inside only to pull his shot wide with the goal at his mercy.
It was the hosts turn for a penalty shout when Mitchell's drive came back off Pressley's arm en route to goal but it was more of ball to hand rather than the other way around and play rightly raged on. Ross headed straight at Bremner when well placed and with ten men Vale pushing bodies forward big gaps were starting to appear in the visitor's defence.
Substitute Carl Farrimond saw his attempt on goal blocked before Stuart Gray, who had moved in a midfield role following the sending off, went on a mazy into the Clach penalty box only to hit the side netting from 8-yards in Vale's ;last chance to grab a draw out of the encounter.

So another defeat on the road for Gregg Carrol's troops didn't go down to well with the Vale boss when he said,
"We were really poor in the first forty-five and lost a soft goal although I wasn't aware that the scorer was three yards offside when he ran through unchallenged. We came out for the second period without Robbie Brown and tried to have a go with the wind at our backs but lost another sloppy goal and it was always going to be difficult after that. But fair play to the boys they gave their all after that and almost grabbed something out of the game when Gray and McKenzie both came close near the end".
Carrol was unsure if Steve Dolan would be back in time for next weeks Qualifying Cup tie at Inverurie but was confident that Graeme Cadger would be eligible even though he was red carded this afternoon.

Clach
Ridgers, MacKay, MacLeod, MacDonald, D. Ross, #McCuish, Mitchell, Lewis, Christie, #Lowe

Subs not used: - Campbell, L. Ross, Morrison, Douglas, Sanderson
Manager: - Robbie Williamson

Vale:
Bremner, Dlugonski (Cpt.), #Gray, Urquhart, Slater, Pressley, Smith (Farrimond 72), #Brown (#Kidd 46), #McKenzie, ##Cadger, Watt
Subs not used: - Phimister (GK)

Referee:  B. Baxter