After Port Vale netted all three points at Hillsborough on Boxing Day, Sheffield Wednesday were out for revenge at a windswept Vale Park.
The Valiants looked the more lively in the opening stages with Sam Collins hammering a free-kick from the edge of the box directly at keeper David Lucas in the third minute, before Stephen Brooker he failed to direct a diving header on target.
As the half progressed, Wednesday's share of possession grew but their chances were few and far between despite Alan Quinn and Adam Proudlock looking the most dangerous.
Port Vale broke the deadlock three minutes before half time when Billy Paynter and Stephen McPhee linked up to set up Adrian Littlejohn, who silenced the booing away fans with a roaring shot into Lucas' top right corner.
The away side did themselves no favours early in the second half when Liam Burns tackled Proudlock and the hot-headed forward retaliated with a vicious elbow, earning himself a straight red card.
With Wednesday's attack considerably weakened, manager Chris Turner attempted to patch it up with the addition of new-signing Kim Olsen.
But it was Vale who went on the offensive and capitalised again when a one-two between Brooker and Mark Bridge-Wilkinson created space, but when Brooker was brought to ground it was left to McPhee to tap in at the back post.
Vale didn't stop there, with Brooker getting the goal he deserved in stoppage time, when Sam Collins laid it off for him six yards from goal to finish.
Home manager Brian Horton said: "It was a vital win to keep us in touch with the leading pack, if we hadn't have won it would have been difficult staying in contention.
"It's been a good day all round with good performances all over the pitch."