Mark Smith and Ian Murray were the men who mattered as Vale racked up another vital three points with a superb first half performance against shell shocked Cove who did improve in the second period but never really threatened the Banffer's defence apart from set-pieces at windy Princess Royal Park.
Playing against the stiff breeze for the first half the Banffers deservedly took the lead when Mark "Rusty" Smith met Ross McWilliam's low cross to bulge the net from 6-yards and four minutes later it was 'game, set and match' when Ian Murray coolly send another unstoppable effort beyond Ivor Pirie after a sweet flowing move from the formidable league leaders.
Gregg Carrol made just one change to his line-up who had started at Wick - Ian Murray replacing Jamie Watt, who dropped to the bench.
Cove were without the injured Neil Cruickshank with Clark Bain deputising at full-back as the sides met for the third time this season but only the first on league duty.
The visitors boss John Sheran understandably wasn't too happy with his side's performance, especially the first forty-five minutes and made two personal changes at the break which brought more urgency into their play but they still failed to force James Blanchard into a serious save during open play.
Opposite number Gregg Carrol was very content with his team's contribution when he said, "yes we're delighted with our application and I thought we did enough in the first period to make sure of the points. The second half wasn't great when our passing let us down but we were fairly comfortable and we're just happy to pick up another huge three points".
Carrol continued, "we have four cup finals left and it's in our own hands although next weekend is obviously a massive game and may well go along way to deciding the title".

After a minute's silence for Huntly chairman George Minty Vale kicked off, however, with the strong breeze behind them Cove soon were on the ascendancy and forced a corner which Scott Fraser got his head to but could only find Vale number one James Blanchard's grateful arms.

Paul "Yogi" Urquhart fired wide after Ian Murray had picked him out with a cushioned header and then Robbie Brown saw a header off Ross McWilliam's corner cleared off the line by Ritchie Livingstone as Vale started to feel their way into the match.

"Yogi" might have done better when he met a low McWilliam cross at the near post but flicked over the top and at the other end Robert Duncan fired straight down the throat of James Blanchard from distance.

Vale went close to opening the scoring on two occasions when firstly Paul Urquhart flashed a fierce effort over from 18-yards after a free-flowing move from the Banffers and then Ian Murray raced clear of the Cove defence from the half-way line only to be denied by Ivor Pirie in the visiting goal.

However Vale's persistence finally paid off in the twenty-fifth minute when Ross McWilliam darted down the right flank before firing a low ball across the six-yard box, which was met perfectly by the in-rushing Mark SMITH, and he swept the ball beyond Pirie for his sixteenth of the season.

Within four minutes the homesters doubled their advantage with as good a goal as they've scored all season.

The move started in their own half with a patient build-up with the boys in reds moving and passing the ball about confidently until it eventually reached Mark Smith at the edge of the Rangers box.

"Rusty" showed great skill and determination to brush off the challenge of Scott Fraser before finding Ian MURRAY 8-yards out and "Molby" didn't mess about as he chested the ball quickly under control before dispatching it into the net before either Kevin Tindal or Ivor Pirie could do anything about it.

On the stroke of the interval Ian Murray passed up a great chance to put the game out of the reach of the visitors but the 'goal machine' somehow completely missed the ball in front of goal although he may have been taken by surprise after Kevin Tindal had also missed his kick right in front of him.

Half-time substitute Graeme Cadger hooked over just three minutes after replacing Nicky Gordon and with the visitors showing more urgency in their play fellow sub Gary Clark very nearly punished a rare James Blanchard mistake. A deep cross eluded the Vale goalie and Clark headed goalwards at the back stick but skipper Mark Chisholm popped up in the nick of time to thump clear.

Sponsor's man-of-the-match Mike McKenzie's quick thinking almost brought him an eighth counter of the season when he spotted Ivor Pirie off his line but with the Cove keeper back-pedalling frantically the ball landed a foot of two over the crossbar from "Mikee's" attempted long-range lob.

The hard-working Paul Urquhart was cruelly denied in making it three for the Banffers when he rounded Ivor Pirie but after striking goalwards Gary Clark tracked back to hook off the line.

Play was bogged down in midfield for long spells and with referee Cobb pulling up play for needless freekicks the remainder of the game became rather uneventful although Ian Murray very nearly did make it three for the home side when he dived full length to meet a Kenny Gilbert deep cross but the ball struck the outside of the goalframe on its way out of play.

Vale:
Blanchard, Dolan, Gilbert, Chisholm (Cpt), Dlugonski, #Brown, McWilliam, Smith, McKenzie, Murray, Urquhart
Subs not used: J. Watt, G. Watt, Craib, Noble, Bremner (GK)

Cove Rangers:
Pirie, Bain, Livingstone, G. Fraser (#Clark 46), #S. Fraser, Tindal, Steele, Hendry, Milne (Robertson 77), #Gordon (Cadger 46), Duncan
Subs not used: Reid, Buchanan (GK)
Manager: John Sheran


Referee:  R.Cobb