Wycombe Wanderers recorded their first win in five games as they battled out a 3-1 victory over Port Vale.
The visitors must have rued the chances squandered in the opening 35 minutes when Billy Paynter, Michael Cummins and Steve Brooker kept Wanderers' goalkeeper Martin Taylor very busy.
Wycombe scored from their first attack on goal when a Michael Simpson corner reached Craig Faulconbridge on the near post. He flicked the ball on and it was met by AndyThomson, who rocketed the ball into the back of the net, gratefully accepting his first goal for the club on 40 minutes.
Vale reduced the deficit through Ian Armstrong early in the second half and looked dangerous following a succession of free kicks.
Substitutions by Lawrie Sanchez proved important when Stuart Roberts brought a handball response from Phil Charnock. The penalty was taken by Sean Devine who struck the ball confidently for Wanderers to take the lead once more.
From that point on the Chairboys should have gone on to win comfortably but Vale put up a great comeback with a succession of corners in search of the equaliser. Their efforts were dampened as a great through ball from Dannie Bulman on the left found Devine on the right and he cut in past the defenders to hammer the ball with his left foot beyond a diving Mark Goodlad.
It was relief all round at Adams Park as the Wanderers needed to get back on the winning trail. Manager Lawrie Sanchez said: "It has been a long time coming, but at last we have won at home. With some hard games coming up over Christmas it was important that we had something to take into this Christmas and New Year period."