MICKY Adams hailed the success of Port Vale's trip to Ireland after watching his side secure their third straight victory, at Ballinasloe Town.

Vale maintained their 100 per cent record in the Emerald Isle thanks to Saturday's 3-2 success, which followed last week's victories at Athlone Town (2-0) and Mervue United (1-0).

Adams said: "During the week I learnt I've got a good set of lads who work hard, plus they haven't given me any problems on or off the pitch.

"I think they've been a credit to Port Vale Football Club.

"We've had three hard games and played fit teams who have provided good physical tests.

"The important thing is we're two weeks away from the start for the season and we're spot on fitness-wise."

Adams's men never trailed at the Brackernaugh Developments Park on Saturday.

And they achieved victory thanks to first-half goals from Kris Taylor and Justin Richards, while Sean Rigg hit their 64th-minute winner.

Adams made seven changes to the side that won at Mervue last Thursday.

Defender Gareth Owen was one of those to make way after suffering a slight hamstring injury.

Ballinasloe, who play their football in the amateur Roscommon and District League, gave Vale a tough work-out, especially during a first half in which Brian Campbell supplied their two goals.

Vale took the lead in spectacular style from Doug Loft's fifth-minute corner which was driven to the edge of the box.

Taylor ran onto the ball to lash an unstoppable drive into the net, via the underside of the bar.

But the hosts levelled on their uneven surface just three minutes later, when Campbell latched onto Shane Tracey's through-ball.

After shrugging off John McCombe, the attacker swept the ball past stranded Valiants keeper Chris Martin from near the edge of the box.

Vale wasted a couple of half-chances before Richards restored their lead around the 20-minute mark.

The striker collected the ball from Loft before turning Peter Keighery and guiding the ball into the bottom right-hand corner from around 14 yards.

But it was 2-2 in the 26th minute as an unmarked Campbell connected with Shane Duffy's cross to head home from a few yards out.

Most of the chances arrived in the first half as the game failed to spark into life during the second period.

But after Justin Richards's header hit the bar on 56 minutes, Rigg met Sam Morsy's right-wing delivery to hammer a 14-yard volley into the right-hand corner.

Adams said: "We have to give Ballinasloe a lot of credit, because they caused us a few problems, particularly during the first half.

"The pitch was a big leveller, but some of the goals we conceded were average.

"If we don't pick up defensively we're going to have problems, because some of the things we saw during the first half weren't acceptable.

"But that can simply be put down to a bit of tiredness, because we have had three games in six days, which has been a tough ask for the players."

Ballinasloe: Kelly (Doperdo, 87), Stack (Muldoon, 68), Clogher (G Campbell, 67), Keighery, Egan, Tracey, (S Duffy, 58), M Duffy, Concannon, Canavan (Loughnane, 79), B Campbell (Borges 48, Ward, 72), Lynch.

Vale: Martin (Tomlinson, 46), Yates (Cooper, 85), McCombe (Sutton, 46), Collins, K Taylor (Bell, 46), Dodds (Morsy, 46), Griffith (Fraser, 46), Loft (Roberts, 46), R Taylor (Rigg, 46), J Richards, M Richards.