Port Vale midfielder Neil Brisco's red card was the turning point in his side's 1-1 home draw with Wycombe as they had dominated the game until being reduced to ten men.
Adrian Littlejohn had given Vale a fifth minute lead and the visitors were looking short on ideas as the hosts pegged them back in their own half.
Then came Brisco's two-footed challenge on Steve Brown, which gave the referee little option but to give the former Manchester City man his marching orders.
Ian Armstrong missed a guilt-edged opportunity to put the home side in front on three minutes when he scuffed his shot from six yards.
But two minutes later he made amends, squaring for Littlejohn to slot home a simple chance from close range and Vale looked well in command.
However, after being reduced to ten men the home side knew they would have their hands full and Wycombe did not disappoint by throwing everything at them.
And when Richard Harris bundled home a Michael Simpson free-kick 12 minutes into the second half the wise money would have been on the visitors to take the spoils.
But the ten men of Vale managed to hang on and almost snatched a win right at the death when Bill Paynter's header was cleared off the line.
Wycombe boss Lawrie Sanchez said: "It was a bang to rights sending off. It was as clear as you will ever see and the referee was always in control of the situation.
"I was more concerned with Michael Simpson picking up a silly booking in the aftermath. The sending off changed the course of the game and it was silly from their point of view." Vale boss Brian Horton sent out his skipper Matt Carragher to face the press.
Carragher said: "We thought it was very harsh on him, the ball was there to be won and we felt he won it.
"There was contact with the player as well but there was nothing intentional. It changed things and put a different complex on the game."