by Steve Shaw

PORT Vale's play-off drive hit a bump beside the A50 as Burton Albion put the brakes on their impressive unbeaten run.

Vale were striving to go nine away games without defeat at the Pirelli Stadium to equal their best run since 1969.

But it was not to be as Jacques Maghoma's first-half goal condemned Vale to their first defeat on the road since late September.

They were edged out in a tightly-contested encounter fought out between two industrious sides determined to escape League Two's congested mid-table swamp.

While Vale's commitment could not be questioned, they dipped below their recent high standards to slip to their first defeat in seven games.

Despite being backed by a vocal 2,000 travelling fans, Vale failed to find top gear against a Burton side desperate to avenge the 3-1 defeat they suffered in Burslem on January 19.

The nature of Burton's 39th-minute winning goal epitomised Vale's lacklustre play during a first half in which they failed to seize the initiative.

Vale manager Micky Adams was also despondent at how Maghoma was allowed to engineer a shooting chance from close range after collecting a throw-in near the right-wing touchline.

The Congolese-born midfielder started his inward journey to goal by drifting past Kris Taylor and Tommy Fraser.

Central midfielder Anthony Griffith finally stepped in with a futile last-gasp sliding challenge as Maghoma fired an eight-yard shot inside the near right-hand post.

As Maghoma performed a merry dance of celebration, the anguish on Griffith's face told its own story as Vale's chance of recording a fourth successive clean sheet went for a Burton.

Chris Martin, the Vale keeper, said: "I think Maghoma mis-hit the shot a little bit, so we were gutted.

"We had to pick ourselves up and have a good go in the second half.

"We changed the way we played a little bit, but unfortunately it didn't quite work out.

"The immediate reaction was one of disappointment, because our unbeaten run has come to an end, but that disappointment is the sign of a good bunch of players. Now we've got to react in the right way."

Vale will get an early chance to bounce back when they entertain play-off contenders Chesterfield tomorrow.

Vale's inability to gain a stranglehold in midfield meant they had little opportunity to unleash their big guns in the attacking third.

While wingers Rob Taylor and Louis Dodds were rendered virtually redundant on the flanks, strikers Craig Davies and Marc Richards had to work tirelessly for scraps of possession.

But, despite failing to dominate in general play, Vale created the more clear-cut chances, even striking the Burton woodwork after the break.

Vale went to sleep in the opening seconds, though, as Shaun Harrad blazed over from the edge of the box after latching onto a long clearance from Brewers keeper Artur Krysiak.

The visitors woke up in the eighth minute, when Fraser's excellent through ball sent Dodds clear in the left-hand channel.

Using the outside of his boot, Dodds angled his shot on target, but the ball's path was blocked by the advancing Krysiak.

The ever-reliable Lee Collins got Vale out of jail when his Bobby Moore-esque tackle denied Steve Kabba a strike on goal shortly after the striker had blazed over on 16 minutes.

Following Maghoma's decisive goal, Rob Taylor found himself in space on the edge of Burton's area, but his drive comfortably cleared the bar.

Taylor was making his first start since being sent off in the 2-1 victory at Grimsby on December 28 and replaced the banned Lewis Haldane.

Vale had a few penalty shouts waved away by referee Phil Crossley during a slightly-improved second-half display.

Their most convincing appeal arrived in the 52nd minute, when Davies's acrobatic volley appeared to strike the hand of Burton defender Andy Corbett.

"The fellow has handballed it and his hands were in the air." protested Adams after the game.

A good-spirited affair threatened to boil over soon after when Dodds and Harrad were both booked after tangling in a challenge. Burton's Aaron Webster was then cautioned for a late challenge on Davies.

Adams attempted to breathe new life into his team by throwing on striker Sean Rigg and midfielder Dave Howland at the expense of Dodds and Griffith.

Davies went within an inch of scoring his second goal in successive games on 69 minutes after finding space in the box.

But Krysiak did just enough to deflect the angled shot on to the near left-hand post before Burton cleared.

The Staffordshire rivals increasingly cancelled each other out as the match wore on and chances became few and far between.

Rob Taylor's cross-cum-shot from 20 yards out drifted wide, before the energetic Rigg also missed the target with an effort from closer range.

Adams's last throw of the dice was to unleash his assistant, Geoff Horsfield, from the bench on 85 minutes.

The striker was making his first appearance for two months, but was unable to engineer a late equaliser.

Adams said of his team: "In terms of their application to the game, I don't think anybody can fault them.

"Did we do enough to get something out of the game? On chances created, yes, because there was very little in it.

"We conceded a sloppy goal in the first half, which was disappointing.

"Both sides then had chances and I felt we had the better ones, but it was a case of two honest, hardworking teams canceling each other out.

"We didn't start the game like we should have and that's cost us.

"We've come out on the wrong end of a 1-0 result."