Turriff came back from a goal down to keep their Highland League title hopes alive but were made to struggle all the way by a spirited Vale outfit missing 10 key players through injury.
The home side led through Stuart Leslie’s third-minute headed goal but a Gary McGowan equaliser just four minutes from the break and Jamie Beagrie’s superb 69th minute header sealed the victory for Ross Jack’s side.
Man-of-the-match McGowan said: “It really would have been a special goal later on when I hit the crossbar, but the main thing today was coming here and getting the three points.
“Thankfully we did just that, although Deveronvale made it very difficult for us – they’ll be all right next season, they are a decent side with some promising players.”
Vale brought back Colin Charlesworth in midfield to replace teenager Paul Sutherland while United’s English midfielder Aaron McKenna returned after a six-week absence through injury but forwards Gary Harris and Nick Gray could only find a place on the bench.
The home side surprised the title challengers with only three minutes on the clock when Charlesworth’s cross from the byeline on the right picked out Leslie and the former Nairn County and Elgin City forward had the simplest of tasks to plant a six-yard header past the helpless Kevin Main for the opener.
Shortly after a looping long-range free kick from McKenna posed danger to the home defence, but his enticing cross into the six-yard box found no takers and then a curling Charlesworth corner kick was missed by everybody as the action flowed from end to end.
In the 25th minute Turriff had a great chance to draw level but with Rhys Fyfe out of his goal McKenna’s attempted lob was picked up by the wind and drifted wide of the target.
Four minutes from the break Turriff equalised when McKenna pulled the ball back for former Vale favourite McGowan who steadied himself and wrong-footed Fyfe with a low eight-yard drive.
Efforts on target had been at a premium, but just before the hour mark Turriff almost took the lead but McGowan’s 12-yard shot on the turn rebounded back off the junction of the post and crossbar with Fyfe well beaten.
Still Turriff pressed and McGowan tested Fyfe with a 12-yard grounder but the home goalkeeper held on with two Turriff forwards waiting for a fumble.
Deveronvale brought on Dons’ on loan teenage midfielder, Lewis Dunbar, for Kyle Rae and two minutes later United responded with Harris replacing Leszek Nowosielski.
United needed a goal and in the 69th minute they finally took the lead when Andy MacAskill’s cross found Beagrie unmarked eight yards from goal and his well-timed header found the corner of the net, giving Fyfe no chance. It was almost 3-1 eight minutes from time but Fyfe got down to brilliantly hold MacAskill’s 15-yard drive.
A disappointed Deveronvale midfielder Craig Cowie said: “We only had one chance but took it and they took the two real chances they created.
“We got off to a really good start with the early goal. We do the right things at the right times but sometimes we need to clear our lines instead of taking a touch, decision-making is sometimes a problem and making those decisions can be costly, as we found out in this match.”