Blair 'Witch' Lawrie was the toast of the "Lilywhites" when he pulled his side back into a match when they seemed dead and buried with two superbly taken opportunist strikes and substitute Sean Kerr snatched a dramatic winner for the Grant Street Park club deep inside injury time as Vale threw away a two goal lead after dominating for the majority of the ninety minutes.
Banffers boss Gregg Carrol was still in shock twenty-four hours after the match and was completely at his wit's end to explain the collapse, which saw his side fail to record a victory in Inverness for the fourth season running. Carrol said, "I've never been so confident of winning at Clach when we were up two nil and although I thought they may grab a consolation I just couldn't see them getting anything from the game as we seemed so far ahead in terms of possession and chances created.
Perhaps we could or should have grabbed a third but even though a two goal advantage away from home going into the final quarter of the game should have been enough to see us home to Banff with all three points, so obviously we're gutted".
It was Vale's first game in three weeks and Carrol was forced into at least one change as Kenny Gilbert began his two-match ban. In came Kyle Rae to make his full debut at right back alongside Terry Kidd who replaced Paul Munro in the centre of the Banffers midfield.
The home side had manager Dave McKay, Colin Mitchell and Davy Ross missing but did welcome back Steve McLean to their defence and included former Ross County youngster Blair Lawrie, who started the game on the left-wing.

A last ditch challenge on Alex Bone by Robbie Brown inside the Vale penalty box prevented the home side getting themselves off to the perfect start although the visitors were also denied in the first five minutes when Ian Murray saw his drive blocked for a disappointing Ross McWilliam corner.
Lawrie was showing a great turn of pace down the Vale right and he cut inside Kyle Rae and Robbie Brown before forcing James Blanchard into a comfortable save low to his left.
Terry Kidd forced opposite number Ally Ridgers into a 'tip-over' at the other end with a speculative long-range effort, which was a little central to worry the home keeper.
It was lucky thirteen for the visitors when they grabbed the lead through Mark SMITH. Steve Dolan's corner was poorly dealt with by the Lilywhite defence and as the ball pinged about the six-yard box 'Rusty' took full advantage as he stabbed home for his sixth of the current campaign.
Alex Bone came close to the perfect response with an opportunist strike which Blanchard held at the second attempt and then Bryan Dlugonski did well to block Bruce McCraw's net bound effort deep inside the Vale eighteen-yard box.

Clach won a generous free-kick when Mark Smith was adjudged to have fouled Neil MacCuish in a dangerous area but the defensive wall stood up well to divert the ball to safety.
The small band of traveling support were celebrating again minutes later when their side grabbed a second of the afternoon and it was all about Mike McKENZIE.
"Mikee's" mazy run saw him ghost past three or four defenders and although the ball was eventually taken from him he was gleeful to receive it back into his path as he made progress into the Clach box and easily knocked the ball home past the helpless Ally Ridgers.
The Banffers confidence grew after their second counter and started to play the ball about with poise and purpose forcing their hosts to chase shadows for the remainder of the first period.

Vale started the second half as they had finished the first with Ian Murray set up a decent chance for strike partner Mike McKenzie but McLean did enough to block the latter's strike although mark Smith might have done better with the rebound which he ballooned over the top from 15-yards.

McKenzie couldn't believe his luck ten minutes into the half when his well-struck 'rocket' came back off the inside of the post and across the face of Ally Ridgers goalmouth before rolling out of play following Terry Kidd's short free-kick which was rolled into the path of the Vale number nine.

Mark Smith was next to come close to scoring Vale's third but he headed inches over following Ross McWilliam's sweeping cross into the danger area.

Ian Murray, who had looked alert and busy all game, passed up a great chance when his first touch evaded him at the vital moment as Mike McKenzie set him up with a deft ball into the feet of the wee hit-man.

Ross McWilliam might have made Gregg Carrol's decision to change him out slightly more difficult if he had steered the ball beyond Ridgers and into the far corner with his last touch of the match but the ball rolled agonizingly past the post- Paul Urquhart immediately replaced the wide in man in a straight swap.

Robbie Brown and Bryan Dlugonski made a hash of an 'up and under' both leaving the ball to the other and although Blanchard came quickly off his line to help his defenders out he only succeeded in playing the ball straight to MacCuish but fortunately for the visitors the midfielder could only rattle the frame of the goal on its way out for a goal kick.

As the game entered the final fifteen minutes the home side stepped up a gear and grabbed a goal back with a fine darting run and finish from youngster Blair Lawrie who cut inside Steve Dolan before sliding the ball well beyond Blanchard.

Ally Ridgers covered his near post well as he blocked Mike McKenzie's low strike with options available at the back stick if only "Mikee" had looked up.

With Vale still looking the likelier to score the next goal debutant Kyle Rae flashed a drive low towards goal but again Ridgers was equal to it holding the ball before substitute Jamie Watt could pounce.

Rae had an even better chance to make his debut a memorable one when he was presented with a free header as he rose to meet Mike McKenzie's corner but the tall young fullback just failed to find the top corner from close range.

With time running out on the home side and Vale looking comfortable Blair Lawrie did it again when he 'banged' in his second with a well executed finish from 25-yards following a corner kick which was only partially cleared to the unmarked scorer.

The "Valley Faithful" who had gathered in the enclosure behind the goal and who had an eventful afternoon after being subjected to throwing of eggs and flour among other things by a section of the home support couldn't believe their day could get any worse but it did.

Instead of the planned fireworks to celebrate a rare victory in Inverness they were staring at a complete damp squib when their side were picking the ball out of the net again two minutes into stoppage time.
Lewis Ross turned inside Kyle Rae before firing the ball across the six-yard box and as the ball bobbled about it appeared to come off the knee of Sean Kerr before landing in the back of the net to hand all three points to Clach in a match which looked well out of the reach of the former Highland League champions.

Vale:
Blanchard, Dolan, Rae, Chisholm (cpt), Dlugonski, #Brown, McWilliam (Urquhart 61), Kidd, McKenzie, Murray (Watt 67), Smith
Subs not used: Noble, Craib, McKenzie (gk)


Referee:  S.Sim