Port Vale and Stockport had to settle for a share of the points after battling out a 2-2 draw at Vale Park.
The Valiants opened up the scoring early on when in the fourth minute, Mark Boyd's shot from 25 yards proved too hot to handle for James Spencer allowing leading scorer Stephen McPhee to rush to the back post and poke the ball home.
Stockport made a quick reply only two minutes later with young dangerman Andrew Welsh jinxing outside of Michael Cummins on the left to supply a good cross for unmarked Stuart Barlow in the middle who powered home his header to grab his fifth league goal.
Vale went ahead again just before the half-hour mark when a simple Michael Cummins through ball down the middle cut open a crowded box and allowed McPhee to strike a low shot that evaded Spencer and went into the bottom right hand corner.
Just as before, the lead did not last long with it only taking a minute for the away side to equalise.
Rickie Lambert hit a goal-bound shot from 20 yards but the ball deflected down for Simon Lynch inside the box who finished well with a side foot curler to the right of Jonathan Brain.
Brian Horton added Mark Bridge-Wilkinson to the side as an attacking half-time sub but the second period did not show the Valiants pushing too hard.
Heavy Stockport pressure forced Vale into their own half for long periods of time with counter attacks proving their only hope.
Stephen Brooker could have nicked all three points right at the death but he wasted his shot leaving his manager scratching his head.
Stockport boss Sammy McIlroy said: "To come to a place like this and play like that I'm delighted and it shows great togetherness.
"Today we bounced back from the Wrexham game and it shows the fitness that we have got in the squad. We could of nicked it at the end."