Two goals in the last six minutes eased Vale's relegation fears and placed a
further dent in Birmingham's fading promotion hopes.
Tommy Widdrington despatched a disputed 84th minute penalty, but substitute
Tony Rougier removed any doubt with an injury time header.
Tony Naylor wasted the first opportunity with a wayward cross after his
exchange of passes with Dave Brammer stretched the Blues' rearguard.
But Naylor soon atoned for the lapse when he opened the scoring with
Birmingham's defence embarrassed again in the 14th minute.
A long clearance from Vale keeper Paul Musselwhite was allowed to bounce
through to the tiny striker who finished with a well-placed rising shot from 15
yards.
Vale continued to force the pace and Widdrington should have extended their
lead when he failed to make proper contact with Brammer's in-swinging corner at
point-blank range.
And on-loan striker Gareth Taylor, making his Vale debut, had an effort ruled
out for pushing 10 minutes before the break as he muscled in on Allen Tankard's
cross.
Blues manager Trevor Francis must have been ready to read the riot-act at the
end of a half in which his side failed to muster a single shot on target.
An injury to Tankard forced Vale to introduce Mark Snijders in a re-jigged
defence, and they were caught dreaming within three minutes of the resumption.
In a similar goal to Vale's opener, a long punt from Bennett found its way
straight through to Bryan Hughes who toe-poked the ball past the on-rushing
Musselwhite.
Birmingham gained confidence from the goal, but it wasn't long before Vale
regained the initiative with Taylor heading just over and Bennett saving well
from Matt Carragher.
Francis had seen enough by the 59th minute when he hauled off Darren Purse and
Simon Charlton, replacing them with Michael Johnson and Stan Lazaridis.
And Francis handed a debut to his loan-signing Isaiah Rankin at the expense of
Graham Hyde, nine minutes later.
But it was Vale who deservedly bagged maximum points six minutes from time
after Naylor's clever flick released substitute Alex Smith who was felled by
Bennett.
Bennett protested furiously that he had taken the ball fairly, but referee
George Cain was unmoved and Widdrington drilled in the spot-kick.
Rougier rubber-stamped Vale's first win since November 23 when he headed home
an excellent cross from Smith in the dying seconds.
Teams
Port Vale: Musselwhite, Carragher, Burns, Burton,
Tankard (Snijders 46), Minton (Rougier 64), Bullock (Smith 76),
Brammer, Widdrington, Naylor, Taylor.
Subs Not Used: Pilkington, Foyle.
Goals: Naylor 14, Widdrington 86 pen, Rougier 90.
Birmingham: Bennett, Rowett, Purse (Johnson 59), Holdsworth,
Charlton (Lazaridis 59), Robinson, Hyde (Rankin 68), O'Connor,
Grainger, Hughes, Marcelo.
Subs Not Used: Poole, Adebola.
Goals: Hughes 48.
Att: 7,702
Ref: G Cain (Bootle).
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