Keith Lowe bagged a second-half brace as Port Vale recorded their first win in eight games to see off 10-man Millwall in this League One basement battle.
It was an afternoon that had started so promisingly for Kenny Jackett's Lions when Gary Alexander headed home his fifth goal of the season to put the visitors ahead on 13 minutes.
But an horrendous defensive error was capitalised on by Danny Whitaker after 24 minutes to haul Vale level and then when Richard Shaw was dismissed for his second booking three minutes into the second-half, Vale took full advantage with Lowe's double securing the points.
In a scrappy game not disimiliar to Walsall the previous Saturday, both teams found it difficult to string any fluent moves together on a sodden pitch that had cut up badly in the warm-up.
It was Vale who had the first chance on goal after three minutes when Danny Whitaker intercepted the ball on the left, strode forward and then let fly with a 20-yard curler that Lenny Pidgeley did well to hold.
Millwall took the lead 10 minutes later with a neatly worked goal. Adrian Forbes picked the ball up on the left, found Jay Simpson in a central position, who in turn sprayed it out to Dave Brammer on the right. The former Vale man, roundly booed all afternoon, delivered a delightful cross and there was Alexander to thump his header past keeper Joe Anyon.
That should have been a perfect platform on which to build, only for a dreadful mistake by Danny Senda to hand the home side a leveller on 24 minutes. There seemed little danger when Chris Herd hit a hopeful cross that Senda headed back woefully short for Pidgeley to clear and straight to Whitaker, who gleefully accepted the opportunity to smash the ball into the roof of the net from five yards.
Ali Fuseini hit a low shot straight at Anyon as The Lions had a rare shot on goal, but as the half wore on it was Vale who looked the more likely to score.
Millwall seemed surprisingly generous defensively, and nearly handed Vale a second goal eight minutes before the break. Simpson inexplicably gave the ball away to Whitaker, who was only denied his second goal of the game by an athletic tip-over from Pidgeley.
Any hopes manager Jackett had of Millwall upping the tempo went out of the window three minutes after the restart when Shaw, already booked for a first-half foul, was shown a second yellow card for a challenge on Luke Rodgers.
Andy Frampton came on with Simpson the fall guy as The Lions were forced to re-shuffle the pack. But from then on it was backs to the wall for Millwall as a rejuvenated Vale outfit made the most of their numerical advantage, keeping possession well and working The Lions hard.
Vale edged ahead 16 minutes from time when debutant Dave Mulligan swung in a free-kick from the right and unmarked defender Lowe provided the finish from five yards with Pidgeley rooted to the spot.
It was a miserable return to Vale Park for Lions new signing Marc Laird, who had shown some nice touches until he was replaced by fellow debutant, 17-year-old Gary Bowes after 78 minutes.
But it was Lions keeper Pidgeley who was picking the ball out from the back of his net for a third time in the dying seconds when another deep delivery, this time from the left, was headed past the static Pidgeley by Lowe at the far post to secure Vale's victory.

Port Vale: Anyon, Pilkington, Ecksersley, Lowe, Mulligan, Harsley, Herd (Cardle, 90mins), Hulbert (Edwards, 27mins), Rodgers, Glover (Lawrie, 90mins), Whitaker. Subs not used: Martin, McGregor.
Booking: Herd (13mins)
Scorers: Whitaker (24mins), Lowe (74, 90mins)

Millwall: Pidgeley, Senda, Barron, Brammer, Whitbread, Shaw, Laird (Bowes 78mins), Fuseini, Forbes (May, 84mins), Alexander, Simpson (Frampton, 50mins). Subs not used: Edwards, Gaynor.
Bookings: Shaw (39, 48mins), Alexander (59mins), Whitbread (76mins)
Sending off: Shaw (48mins)
Scorer: Alexander (13mins)

Ref: M Oliver
Att: 3,724 (Away 225)