Goals from Freddie Ladapo and full league debutant Cameron Humphreys gave Town a 2-0 lead but Gavin Massey pulled a goal back for Port Vale just before the break to leave the scoreline 2-1 to the Blues at the break.
Humphreys was handed his first league start, one of five changes from the team which beat Derby 1-0 at Portman Road on Friday.
The 18-year-old started in central midfield alongside Dominic Ball with skipper Sam Morsy suspended for one match after being booked on Friday and Lee Evans absent having suffered a knee injury against the Rams.
Keeper Christian Walton was in goal behind Janoi Donacien, Luke Woolfenden and George Edmundson, while Wes Burns and Leif Davis continued in the wide roles.
Kieran McKenna switched his three forward players with Conor Chaplin and Kyle Edwards behind Freddie Ladapo, while Marcus Harness, Kayden Jackson and Tyreece John-Jules dropped to the bench.
Centre-half Cameron Burgess was also among the subs for the first time since suffering his facial injury against Bristol Rovers and Panutche Camara was in the 18 for the first time in the league.
For Port Vale, ex-Town striker Ellis Harrison started up front, one of four changes from the team which won 1-0 at Cambridge on Saturday.
The home side clearly tried to make an early impression on full league debutant Humphreys, who was clattered late in the opening minute but with referee Andrew Kitchen and his assistant both failing to spot it, much to the frustration of the Town players.
The Blues struck their first shot in the third minute, Ladapo forcing Aiden Stone, Vale’s second-choice in for Jack Stevens who suffered a knock at the weekend, into a save down to his left from the edge of the box. The loose ball ran to Dan Jones, who was battled into conceding a throw-in by Wes Burns.
Within a minute, Vale went closer to opening the scoring when David Worrall sent a teasing ball over from the right to the far post but Harrison headed just wide as he broke into the area at pace and under pressure from Burns, who suffered a knock in doing so but was OK to continue after treatment.
Burns was down again in the 12th minute having been caught late by Jones with Vale clearly looking to upset Town’s rhythm with a robust approach, and it was paying dividends with the Blues still to get going.
Port Vale, who were on top, claimed a penalty in the 20th minute when Worrall’s low cross from the right was chested back to Walton by Burns. However, referee Kitchen wasn’t interested, probably rightly.
Having been kept in their own half for a lengthy spell, the Blues worked an opening in the 26th minute, Chaplin hitting a shot which was deflected behind for a corner from a Ladapo lay-off after a slick interchange. From the flag-kick, Ball struck an effort which was again diverted behind by a defender. And following that corner, Edwards cut in and hit a low cross-shot which was blocked.
Town were starting to get their passing going with Humphreys beginning to see more of the ball.
And in the 34th minute, they went in front. Janoi Donacien, skipper in Morsy’s absence, fed Ball to his left and the midfielder turned it on to Edwards, who brought it forward, then played a perfect ball across to the left for the breaking Davis, who fizzed a low ball across the six-yard box for Ladapo, who made up ground to slide in at the far post.
The striker’s fifth goal of the season was celebrated with a group hug among the players, while the 1,700 Town fans at the other end went wild.
Three minutes after going in front, Burns robbed Connor Hall on the Blues’ right, brought the ball forward and struck a powerful effort which Stone palmed over.
And following the resultant corner, Town doubled their lead and what a strike it was. Davis’s low corner reached Ball, who stabbed it out to Humphreys, and the youngster struck the ball as cleanly as he ever will, the ball flashing low past Stone and into the net for a debut goal few present will ever forget.
Town tails were firmly up having gone into a two-goal lead and the Blues went looking for a third. In the 43rd minute Burns chased a ball into the area and Stone came out to save at the Welshman’s feet, claiming the ball.
The incident appeared innocuous until Burns frantically waved medical staff over with the keeper lying still, apparently knocked out.
Eventually Stone sat up while still looking very groggy but continued, perhaps surprisingly given current protocols, although maybe less so given Vale’s lack of a keeper on the bench.
Deep in first half injury time, with the Blues not having got going again since the stoppage, the home side pulled a goal back.
Jones crossed from the left, Worrall won the ball in the air at the far post, Ball missed his header and it fell to Massey, who shot across Walton and into the net.
There was no time for Town to hit back and Vale would have gone in much happier with their lot at the break having pulled a goal back, one with which the Blues will be very disappointed to have conceded.
In truth, 2-0 would have flattered Town, who had been under par for the most part with the two goals - with Humphreys’ strike as good as anything Town have netted this season - having come in a bright spell in a half in which they had otherwise shown little going forward.
The late goal has given Vale something to build on and the Blues have a lot to do in the second half to secure the three points.
Port Vale: Stone, Jones, Hall, Smith, Worrall, Garrity, Wilson, Conlon (c), Forrester, Massey, Harrison. Subs: Cass, Benning, Robinson, Pett, Butterworth, Politic, Odubeko.
Town: Walton, Donacien (c), Woolfenden, Edmundson, Burns, Ball, Humphreys, Davis, Chaplin, Edwards, Ladapo. Subs: Hladky, Burgess, Keogh, Camara, Harness, Jackson, John-Jules. Referee: Andrew Kitchen (Durham).