Goals from Mike Ewen, Mark Smith and Mike McKenzie were enough to see off lowly Wick and move the Vale up two places in the league table to third in a low tempo match, which failed to reach the heights of the previous weekend's victory over Fraserburgh.

The 'valley crowd' thought they were in for a treat and barrage of goals after they had seen their heroes race into a two goal lead within ten minutes but the plucky visitors put up the shutters with a damage limitation performance which saw the Banffers fail to find the net again during the remainder of the first forty-five.
Six minutes after the interval Mike McKenzie blasted beyond young keeper James More to seal the points but again Academy kept the title chasers at bay for long periods with plenty of numbers behind the ball and even had the audacity to sneak a consolation with virtually the last kick of the game to make the score-line a little more respectable and make their long trip home a little more comforting.

Greig Pirie made his debut, slotting into defence in place of the injured Scott Fraser in an otherwise unchanged line-up for the homesters while Wick were without midfielders Martin Gunn and Gary Manson leaving them with a very young and inexperienced side to take on the league champions on their own patch.

A minutes' silence was held for former Vale goalkeeper Reggie Morrison who sadly passed away recently before things got underway.

The Banffers got off to the perfect start when they scored with only their second attack of the game.
Robbie Brown used all his power and experience to win the ball 25-yards from goal before feeding the eager Mike EWEN and the young striker made no mistake as he ran onto 'Brooner's' pass and side-footed easily past the advancing James More for his ninth of the campaign.

It was two five minutes later when Mike McKenzie waltzed his way past a couple of challenges inside the 18-yard box before dinking the ball to the far post where Mark SMITH had made up good ground and as usual pop up at the right time to easily steer his header into the net.

David Cowie thought he was about to pull a goal back for the visitors ten minutes later but an amazing piece of defending from Mark Chisholm saw the Banffer's skipper come from no where to tackle the midfielder just as he steadied himself and looked to stroke the ball home.

James More saved comfortably from Mark Smith and then Paul Urquhart had an effort cleared off the line as Vale to make sure of the vital three points.

Graeme Watt then tried to get in on the act with a strike from distance which was also well handled by More before Robbie Brown won a tackle deep inside his own half, sprayed the ball to Mike Ewen before making up good ground to receive the ball back but his shot across James More's goal drifted inches past the upright.

Mike Ewen should have at least worked the keeper when through one-on-one five minutes from the break but passed the ball beyond the advancing keeper and the post after being sent clear courtesy of Mike McKenzie.

On the stroke of the half time whistle Mike McKenzie's free kick was saved by the legs of James More, who must have seen it late when it arrived at him beyond the defensive wall, before Mike Ewen hooked over the rebound from the edge of the area

Straight from the re-start Vale worked their way forward and Mike Ewen's cross from the right landed perfectly at the feet of Paul Urquhart but he blasted wide with the goal at his mercy.

Ewen then set-up Mark Smith but the free-scoring midfielder couldn't find a way past the packed Academy defence.

Mike MCKENZIE put the game beyond the visitors soon after with a trademark thunderbolt after Steve Dolan played a short free kick to the Vale number nine at the edge of the penalty box and he fired low beyond James More.

McKenzie very nearly doubled his personal tally with a deft attempted lob from 20-yards five minutes later but the slight figure of James More somehow managed to get the spring to touch the ball over the top and from the resulting corner Robbie Brown's header was cleared off the line by Shaun Sinclair.

The Wick keeper's double save prevented further gaols from Mark Chisholm and Mike Ewen before substitutions by Gregg Carrol seemed to put an end the Vale's onslaught on the 'Scories' penalty box.

Mark Cowie, Fraser Bremner and Ian Murray replaced Mark Smith, Paul Urquhart and Mike McKenzie respectively and although the shape remained the same Vale lost some of their momentum.

Having said that Graeme Watt did have the ball in the net following Mike Ewen's pass but the far-side assistant's flag spoiled the celebrations when he deemed the scorer to be offside.

With the game petering out Craig Shearer pulled a goal back for the Academy which was harsh on James Blanchard who had brilliantly denied Gary Weir with a fine save low to his right only for the striker to cut the rebound back across the face of goal to find the unmarked scorer.

Robbie Brown deservedly picked up the sponsor's man-of-the-match award with another powerful performance.

Satisfied Vale boss Gregg Carrol said, "We got off to the perfect start with the two goals and then took the foot off the gas and could easily have lost one but the third goal from Mikee (McKenzie) killed the game and although we had plenty of possession it wasn't easy against a team who understandably sat deep whilst trying to play on the break".

Vale:
Blanchard, Dolan, Gilbert, Chisholm (Cpt), Pirie, Brown, Urquhart (Bremner 72), #Smith (Cowie 63), McKenzie (Murray 75), Ewen, Watt
Subs not used: McWilliam, Knight (GK)

Wick Academy:
More, Sinclair, Traill, #Ross, MacLeod, Shearer, Cowie, Farquhar (McKiddie 83), Weir, Macadie, S. Sinclair
Subs not used: Sutherland, Davis, Bell (GK)
Manager: Peter Budge

Referee:  F McDermott