A late fightback from Port Vale wasn’t enough to secure a result as three goals in the opening 25 minutes for the visitor’s saw Vale suffer their first league defeat of the season.

Dan Turner and Ben Whitfield got goals in the last five minutes for Michael Brown’s side, but it came just too late, as Wycombe went away with the victory.

Vale went 1-0 down through Adebayo Akinfenwa on the second minute. The centre forward managed to get on the end of Joe Jacobson’s free kick, as his header flew into the bottom corner.

Wanderers soon doubled their lead as Paris Cowan-Hall converted for the visitors on the 12^th minute. After picking up the ball in a questionable offside position, the winger cut inside of Lawrie Wilson and struck home into the far corner.

Cowan-Hall wanted another as he ran clear of the Vale defence and powered into the arms of Hornby, who did well to get down low and deny from close-range.

Things got worse for Port Vale as Akinfenwa converted his second goal of the game. Coming from the corner, Luke O’Nien volleyed the ball towards the target man – he reached out for the header and got his second of the game on 25 minutes.

Vale tried to find a way back into the game and could have done so on the 31^st minute when Nathan Smith headed into the path of Scott Brown’s goal from a Marcus Harness corner.

The score was 3-0 down at the break and after the half time interval in the 59^th minute, Danny Pugh suffered a slight injury so Vale were forced into their first change of the afternoon as Billy Reeves came on. Rekeil Pyke also made way for Dan Turner.

Turner made an instant impact as he whipped in a good low cross for Tom Pope. The Vale legend struck the ball into the stand but showed a warning towards Wycombe with The Valiants still 3-0 down in the 64^th minute.

Hornby was again called into action as he tipped Southwell’s free-kick just around the post on the 66^th minute.

The hosts continued to search for the goal as Nathan Smith found Marcus Harness after a clearance. The on-loan winger tried to square it into the path of Turner as the ball was cleared with 15 minutes to play.

It was time for the debutant Ben Whitfield as the on-loan man from Bournemouth came on for Montano with 11 minutes to play, in hope of making a difference to the game.

Vale finally had their goal through the substitute, Turner. He nodded in Lawrie Wilson’s excellent cross from close-range to get his second-goal of the campaign.

Two minutes later, Vale Park erupted as Whitfield scored a wonder goal to bring The Valiants back into the game on the 90^th minute. The winger cut inside after racing past Jacobson onto his favourite left-foot and struck into the top right-hand corner. Five minutes were added on, as all the pressure converted onto Gareth Ainsworth’s side.

Five minutes were added on and the supporters had a moment of excitement with Vale coming touching distance of getting a result. Sadly, not being able to do so, the result will prepare Port Vale for Chesterfield next weekend.

Line Ups

Port Vale: Sam Hornby, Lawrie Wilson, Tyler Denton, Antony Kay ©, Marcus Harness, Danny Pugh (Billy Reeves 59), Tom Pope, Cristian Montano (Ben Whitfield 79), Rekeil Pyke (Dan Turner 59), Nathan Smith, Anthony de Freitas.

Unused Subs: Joe Davis, Anton Forrester, Ryan Boot, Michael Tonge.

Wycombe Wanderers: Scott Brown, Sido Jombati, Joe Jacobson, Dominic Gape, Adam El-Abd ©, Sam Saunders (Matt Bloomfield 68), Paris Cowan-Hall (Dayle Southwell 24), Michael Harriman, Luke O’Nien, Adebayo Akinfenwa, Nathan Tyson (Nick Freeman 80).

Unused Subs: Marcus Bean, Paul Hayes, Barry Richardson, Max Muller.

Attendance: 4909 (293 away supporters).