Two goals in the final five minutes saw Vale finally claim all three points at a windy Princess Royal Park on Saturday. What looked to be a 'breeze' for the home side in the opening three minutes, infact turned out to be more of a 'fierce gale' in the form of visitors Fort William.
Despite suffering an early setback, the lads from Lochaber weathered everything as Vale looked to storm the visiting defence at every opportunity. With, by far, the majority of possession throughout the first half and the beginning of the second, it seemed just a 'matter of time' for Vale to finish the game off. No one however expected the whirlwind to change direction, but it did, and visitors Fort William somehow found themselves in the lead with only five minutes to go!
Football reporting is almost always associated with clichés (I personally try to avoid them like the plague!) but in this instance it is fully justified as Vale did infact show the perfect example of 'snatching victory from the jaws of defeat'. Man of the match Mike McKenzie saved his earlier blushes with a deft chip in the 85th minute followed all too closely by defender Bryan Duglonski drilling the ball in from 6 yards with only a minute to spare. Vale had finally managed to claim what the statistics would show should have been theirs over an hour ago, but as they say 'it's a funny old game' - just try telling that to the Vale fans though; at 4:40pm on Saturday they were not laughing!

It all started so brightly for the homeside, the rain stopped just before kick-off and the sun came out on what was to be an eventful afternoons football. Vale kicked off and broke immediately up field, Stuart Gray sending in the first of many first half crosses but with no one at the end on this occasion. With only 3 minutes on the clock the early pressure paid off as a cutback from Dlugonski was met perfectly by Vale forward Jamie WATT to score for the third week in a row.
The little little number 10 could have made the perfect start minutes later but failed to have the composure on two occasions as the ball seemed to stick under his feet. Jamie turned provider in 17mins when he sent in a tempting cross towards Mark Smith but unfortunately the long legs of Vale's No 7 failed to stretch far enough to meet it. Five minutes later and 'Rusty' looked to prove his mettle by shrugging off a head-knock with Fort's Innes Simpson and immediately driving forward to unleash a low drive at the visiting keeper.

Defender Bryan 'Dougal' Dlugonski was relishing his new position as attacking wingback and took every opportunity to run down the left flank and get in some good crosses. On one occasion his hard work was very nearly rewarded as Mike McKenzie pounced on a weak clearance only to see his fierce shot charged down by a more solid Fort William defence. As frustration began to show among Vale players it was defender Stuart Gray who found himself first in the referee's book as he looked to have caught Fort William's very own Michael McKenzie with a late challenge on the touchline.
Indeed McKenzie found himself in the thick of the action seconds later but this time he was wearing a red shirt as Vale's 'Mike' sent in a perfect cross to the head of Jamie Watt who glanced it just wide from 12 yards. The Vale No 9 was out to show the crowd that there really was only 'one Mike McKenzie' in the 34th minute when a little glimpse of his many skills gave 'Rusty' a chance only for it to rebound back to the Vale forward who then powered it over the bar.
Smith would come closer himself minutes later when he connected with his head to a 'Dougal' cross but sent just wide of the mark. McKenzie(there is only one!) had the last chance of the first half with yet another powerful shot which keeper Campbell needed all his strength to push over the bar.

Fort William kicked off the second half but it was Vale again who started the stronger of the two sides. With the wind now picking up Vale Keeper Ross Bremner very nearly had what could have been described as a 'shot off target' when he cleared from his hands only to see the ball bounce once in the visitors box and out. In only the second minute of the second half Mark Smith continued to show his eagerness to get his name on the score sheet by unleashing a wind powered strike from all of 25 yards. Mike McKenzie tried his luck from a little closer minutes later but managed only to find the side netting.

Ten minutes in and once again defender Bryan Dlugonski found himself in the visiting danger area but watched in horror as keeper Campbell tipped a great turn and shot just over the bar.
Vale fans were now wondering if the single goal in the first half was going to be enough and very quickly were given the answer.

Cometh the hour, cometh the men -from Lochaber, as they somehow, out of nowhere, turned the match on its head! A rare defensive slip by Vale's Slater gifted the visitors an equaliser in the 60th minute which Fort William's Mark DOUGAL accepted with a simple tap-in from 6 yards. This was to be the young No 7s last part in the game as he found himself substituted five minutes later.
In 67 minutes McKenzie looked to restore the Vale's lead with a tremendous jinking run into the visitors box but was eventually foiled at his feet by a brave John Campbell in the Fort goal. More bravery at the other end in 75 minutes when Vale keeper Ross Bremner had to act quickly to cover for a Chisholm error only to be judged to have fouled Fort's Michael McKenzie as he raced into the box. The Vale number one picked up his side's second booking of the day but could do nothing to stop Morris McMILLLAN's penalty as the third goal of the game.

Vale:
Bremner, Dlugonski, Gray (Farrimond 76), Chisholm, Slater (Dolan 73), Brown, Smith (Pressley 84), Kidd, McKenzie, Watt, Urquhart.
Subs not used: -: Gilbert, Phimister (GK)

Fort William :
Campbell, Bamber, Edwards (Drain 70), McMillan, McDonald, Simpson, Dougal (Sanderson 65), Stewart, McLean, McLaughlin, McKenzie.
Subs not used: -:Howden, Tite & Martin.

Referee:S. George (2.5)