Vale made the long trek to Claggan Park, Fort William with a good playing surface sitting under the spring time picturesque setting of a snow topped Ben Nevis.
Vale were looking to secure three points as a confidence builder for the League Cup semi-final against Buckie Thistle next weekend.
Gregg Carol was without Robbie Brown after his red card at Cove. Danny Craib replaced him at the back. Manager Carrol, went with a 3-5-2 formation with Banff Academy pupil Grant Noble making the starting line up for the first time, after impressing in his two previous substitution appearances. His strike partner Graeme Cadger, keeping Jamie Watt out of the side. Mark Smith dropped to the bench, and was joined there by Stuart Gray who was available again after the completion of his suspension.
Fort William were made to pay for consistently applying the offside trap, with the wide play of Dolan and Farrimond causing all sots of problems for the home defence.
Dolan opened the scoring early on, heading home from close range. Mark Chisholm, and Graeme Cadger gave Vale an unassailable first half lead.
Jamie Watt, came of the bench and duly scored twice as Vale continued to dominate the match that included seven yellow cards, but could never be described as dirty.
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Fort kicked of, and were sharp of the blocks, with Peter Kelly's free kick flying past Bremners post in the first minute, while at the other end Graeme Cadger was first to show for Vale after Dolan supplied the pass, but McDonald gathered.
Fort again showed that they we up for the tie, when Jamie Gannon, beat the Vale offside trap, after Danny Craib had been caught in possession. Bremner saving the defenders blushes, at the expense of the first corner of the match. Cadger again was showing his determination in the 8th minute, but his effort was way off target and did not trouble McDonald in the Fort goal.
Paul Urquhart tried his luck from 20 yards, when he smacked a shot that was parried by McDonald, however both Cadger and Noble were offside as they tried to capitalise on the follow up. Fort defender Martin was luck to escape a yellow card after his heavy challenge on Kenny Gilbert, referee Logan waving play on.
Vale took the lead in the 13th minute. Skipper Dlugonski, supplied the delivery with a long pass from just inside the halfway line that caught out Bamber.
Steve DOLAN nipped in to head past McDonald for his second in two games.
Vale were looking hungry now Farrimond was causing all sorts of trouble for the home defence, as again Vale beat the off-side trap, but his cross came to close to the Fort Keeper, with 4 blue jerseys ready to pounce.
Vale had claim for a penalty on 16 minutes, Paul Urquhart, taken down inside a busy penalty area, referee Logan waved play on. Urquhart found him self in the book for protesting too much.
Steve Dolan again came close, as he cut in from the left, but the ball fell to his weaker foot, and his shot went wide. Vale escaped minutes later, after a poor kick out from Ross Bremner, almost caught the Vale defence out. Kelly tried his luck from full 30 yard, but was unable to trouble Bremner. Grant Noble tested the keeper with a shot, as Vale began to split open the Fort defence, and won a corner for the visitors.
From the resulting corner Urquhart supplied the corner flicked on by Dlugonski, and Mark CHISHOLM fired in from close range to double the Banffers advantage.
Both Martin and McDonald found their way to referee Logan's book, before Tite had to be replaced by Cairns on 33 minutes.
Vale extended their lead through CADGER on 40 minutes after Farrimond again beat his man to supply the cross for the Vale number 10. Terry Kidd almost made it four after McDonald acrobatically saved his shot, as again Farrimond supplied the assist.
Half Time: 0-3
Fort made a change at half time, with Kelly being replaced by Willie Sutherland.
Bremner had to look sharp as Gannon tried his luck, the big keeper gathering at the second attempt.
Vale were pushing pall over the top of the Fort defence, and as Farrimond again beat the off-side trap, to the annoyance of the small home support, keeper McDonald saving with his feet from the former Ross County man. Graeme Cadger struck the woodwork on 52 minutes, as a hungry Vale looked to capitalise. Both Farrimond and Noble could have done better, with Noble having a free header, but failed to make the target.
Fort's best chance of the match cam with some neat play, Dougal wriggling past the Vale defence, but his shot went wide without troubling Bremner.
Paul Urquhart made way for Mark Smith, on 60 minutes, and Rusty almost made an immediate impression, heading just over from the visitors fifth corner kick. Smith was close again after ghosting in at the back post, but his shot went wide,
Carroll refreshed his striking duo with Jamie Watt replacing Cadger on 65 minutes. Mark Chisholm's persistence almost paid off as the defender managed to release a shot in a congested box, but McDonald gathered safely. Stuart Gray replaced Farrimond on 68 minutes.
Watt's first chance came after some clever play between Gray and Noble, with young Noble's reverse pass releasing Gray. However the ball was caught up under Watt's feet and he was unable to trouble the Fort keeper.
WATT did find the target minutes later a quick move from back to front, the clubs top scorer slotting past McDonald. Minutes later WATT made it five, after Gilbert again beat the home
offside trap, and the striker made no mistake from close range.
Gilbert was booked in the 81st minute, although this was to cause some confusion for the stand side linesman minutes later when Logan showed Start Gray a yellow. The lines man thought that the referee Logan had booked the Vale substitute, and not Gilbert minutes earlier.
The home fans frustration was further compounded when Sutherland's effort again failed to trouble Bremner, before Haggerty found his way to Logan's long list of bookings.
Fort William:
McDonald #, Bamber #, Martin #, McMillan, McLaughlan, Kelly (Sutherland), Tite (Cairns #), Dougal, McLean, Haggerty, Gannon
Subs not used: -McIntosh, Taylor
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