Gregg Carrol's side got their pre-season off to the perfect start when they defeated second division visitors Partick Thistle by two goals to one in a competitive but friendly encounter.
The Glasgow based side entered the game on the back of a narrow defeat at the hands of Buckie Thistle on Tuesday evening and again found their Highland League hosts too hot to handle when the Banffers ran out victors thanks to Ian Murray's equaliser after 37 minutes and Mark Smith's early second half header.
Partick ran out to a cheer from their hardy band of fans who had travelled to the North East to follow their side's pre-season mini tour while Vale, skippered by Bryan Dlugonski and turned out in their blue 'away' kit, came out looking determined to make a game of it against their senior opponents and gain some revenge for a defeat at Firhill five years ago in the Scottish Cup.
New Signings James Blanchard, Ian Murray, Ross McWilliam were all given a starting berth while local youngsters Kyle Rae and Graham Watt made up a strong looking Vale subs bench.

The first half chance of the match fell to Mark Smith but his downward header lacked the power to trouble the experienced Kenny Arthur between the Thistle sticks.
Smith was in the thick of things again when he caught Darren Brady with a sore one on the ankle but the player was able to continue after receiving treatment.
Paul Urquhart's ambitious lob from 18-yards failed to catch out Kenny Arthur before Steve Dolan's searching cross very nearly picked out the in-rushing Ian Murray.
However it was the visitors who took the lead minutes later with a swift move which saw Nicholas sprint into space down the right before picking out Steve McConnologue with a low cross and the striker swivelled to hook past the outstretched hand of James Blanchard and into the far corner. Blanchard, at the second time of asking, saved his side from falling further behind when he smothered a Strachan header on his goal-line after Nicholas had again found room on the right to set-up the opportunity.
As the half wore on the Jags took a firm grip of the midfield and although dominating the play never quite managed to trouble Vale's young custodian between the posts, who looked sure and alert when he was called on.
Mike McKenzie flashed one across the face of Kenny Arthur's goal following some wing trickery from Ross McWilliam.
Thistle responded when Strachan thumping one of the cross bar with a left-footed drive after a rare mistake by the industrious Kenny Gilbert.
Vale equalised six minutes from the interval and it was greeted with a round of applause from both sets of fans, as was the quality of the move and finish.
Some firm passing well inside the Thistle half saw Gilbert, Urquhart, Smith & McKenzie make progress before the latter fed-in Murray with a neat pass and the fans favourite made a tidy job of finishing low past Arthur after he had slipped the visitor's defence.
Blanchard dived bravely at the feet of McGoldrick to deny the striker a certain goal before Ricky Gillies forced the keeper into a spectacular tip over the top after the former Dons midfielder had picked up a loose ball at the edge of the Vale penalty area.

Vale got their second half off to the perfect start when they grabbed the lead inside just two minutes. Mark Smith, who had seconds earlier seen his header hooked off the line, was on hand to convert a Ross McWilliam cross beyond substitute goalie Bennett to score what turned out to be the winning goal.
McConnologue responded for the Second Division side when he latched onto a cross only to see his 18-yard header clip the outside of the post before going out of play.
Thistle kept up their momentum and again it was McConnologue who was posing as the biggest threat but on this occasion the number nine failed to trouble Blanchard when his angled effort flew wide of the far post.
Gregg Carrol made a double switch twenty minutes into the second period when Jamie Watt and Terry Kidd replaced scorers Ian Murray and Mark Smith respectively.
McConnologue was desperately unfortunate when his diving header bounced off the underside off the Vale cross bar before Paul Urquhart gleefully thumped clear.
Ross McWilliam blazed over from 18-yards after a quick breakaway saw the wing-back get himself into a decent scoring position before skying his drive.
Substitute Terry Kidd should have made the Vale's victory safe when presented with a very good chance following a scramble inside the Thistle penalty box but delayed his shot allowing the defence to eventually block to safety.
Cassidy had a similar opportunity at the other end but sliced his effort well over the top from 15-yards.
As the game entered stoppage time last-season's top-scorer Jamie Watt was teed-up by Mike McKenzie well inside the Jag's 18-yard box but Bennett did well to block before Snowdon completed the clearance.
Mike McKenzie had the last chance of the entertaining encounter but Bennett was equal to his blistering drive, which the keeper did well to get a strong hand and divert the ball to safety.

Gregg Carrol confirmed after the final whistle that defender Stuart Gray has joined junior side Turriff United

Vale:
Blanchard, Dolan, McWilliam, Chisholm, Dlugonski (Craib), Brown (Slater), Smith (Kidd), Gilbert, McKenzie, Murray (J. Watt), Urquhart (Noble)
Subs not used: G. Watt, Rae

Partick:
Arthur (Bennett), Snowdon, Fleming (Cassidy), Brady (Cameron), Murray, Smyth (Haswell), Gillies, Strachan, McConnologue, McGoldrick (Gibson), Nicholas
Subs not used: Stewart
Manager: R. Campbell

Referee:  Ryan Milne