CHERRIES slipped back into the League Two relegation zone following a disappointing encounter with the Valiants at Dean Court today.

Eddie Howe’s men huffed and puffed for long periods but were unable to blow down the visitors’ house as Vale goalkeeper Joe Anyon played a starring role.

And a share of the points enabled relegation rivals Grimsby to leapfrog Cherries following their crushing victory over Lincoln.

Marvin Bartley returned to bolster the Cherries midfield as boss Howe made one change following Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Aldershot.

Bartley slotted in alongside Danny Hollands with Alan Connell dropping down to the bench. Steve Fletcher, Brett Pitman, Shaun Cooper and Mark Molesley all passed late fitness tests.

Vale handed a debut to new addition Paul Marshall, signed yesterday on a one-month loan from Manchester City.

Pitman, who scored directly from a corner against Shrewsbury last month, almost repeated the feat when his inswinging delivery was punched clear by Valiants goalkeeper Anyon after just six minutes.

The visitors responded when the lively Paul Edwards centred for Marc Richards, the striker’s glancing header easily gathered by Cherries goalkeeper Shwan Jalal.

Vale skipper Richards went close to drawing first blood when he neatly controlled a hopeful through ball and fired narrowly over the top with an angled drive in the 20th minute.

Pitman required a spell of treatment following a clash of heads with Vale defender Gareth Owen before his cross almost led to Cherries taking the lead.

But after the striker had skipped down the right flank and seen his centre parried by Anyon, Anthony Griffith just managed to beat Anton Robinson to the loose ball.

As the hosts began to up the tempo, Pitman’s 30-yard free kick was charged down by Vale’s defensive wall.

Griffith again denied Cherries when his block at the near post thwarted Mark Molesley before Fletcher headed wide from Warren Cummings’s subsequent corner.

The Fletcher-Pitman partnership linked up well to fashion another chance, with Pitman blazing his shot over the crossbar after latching on to Fletcher’s flick.

A dangerous centre from Richards flashed across the face of the Cherries goalmouth as the visitors created a rare attack shortly before half-time.

But the best of Cherries’ first-half chances fell to Hollands, his low drive from a Cummings free kick fizzing inches past the upright in stoppage time.

At the start of the second half, Anyon was forced to scramble across his line to touch Molesley’s long-range effort around the post.

And after the resultant corner had been dispatched into the danger zone, referee Graham Horwood turned down Cherries’ claims for a penalty after Owen had appeared to haul down Jason Pearce.

Anyon again distinguished himself when he pushed another Molesley piledriver past the post after 54 minutes before Pitman drove a 20-yard free kick straight at the wall.

Cherries had a brief scare when Scott Brown’s shot skidded past the post after 62 minutes before Alan Connell replaced Bartley with 22 minutes remaining.

Anyon again frustrated Cherries when he scooped up Pitman’s drive through a crowd of players before Richards wasted a late chance to snatch it for the visitors.

Cherries (4-4-2): Jalal; Cooper, Garry, Pearce, Cummings; Molesley (Partington, 90), Hollands, Bartley (Connell, 69), Robinson (Feeney, 52); Pitman, Fletcher.

Unused subs: Bradbury, Pryce (g/k).

Port Vale (4-4-2): Anyon; Griffith, Owen, McCombe, Collins; Brown (Richman, 85), Marshall, Howland, Edwards (Glover, 90); Richards, Gall (Dodds, 85).

Unused subs: Prosser, Martin (g/k).

Booked: McCombe.

Referee: Graham Horwood (Bedfordshire).