Albion reproduced the form which has taken them to the Second Division title right to the last kick.

The key ingredients, dedication, perspiration and inspiration, clinched the 25th triumph of a champagne campaign.

Eighteen of them have been by the odd goal, half of those 1-0, and that unerring ability to chisel out a result was evident in the Potteries once more.

Dedication was displayed from back to front in Albion's desire to deprive disadvantaged Vale a sniff of goal.

They were so solid that Will Packham, deputising for thighinjury victim Michel Kuipers, did not have to make a single save of note to keep a clean sheet on his full League debut.

Perspiration? Few sides match the Seagulls for sheer graft.

The inspiration was provided not this time by Bobby Zamora but the player responsible for setting up so many of his goals.

Paul Watson is that rarest of species, a left-footed rightback.

A free-kick on the right hand edge of the area was perfect for his party piece, a curving left-foot effort which found the far corner of the net with uncanny accuracy.

It was a stunning strike which ensured Albion extended their unbeaten ending to ten games against a team reduced to ten men for the best part of an hour.

A reckless tackle by Stephen Brooker on Richard Carpenter sparked ugly scenes involving several players from both sides and resulted in a straight red card for the Vale forward from ref Mike Ryan.

Manager Peter Taylor said: "It looked to me like a two-footed tackle and I'm sure that's what it looked like to the referee and his assistant.

"It was unnecessary, because Port Vale had nothing to play for and we had nothing to play for. It's really frustrating when you get people suspended like that."

Vale manager Brian Horton begged to differ. The former Albion captain and boss said: "The ref said to me it was a double-footed tackle. I don't believe it was. I don't think it was a red card.

"That spoilt the game. It was a great goal and Brighton are worthy champions, but they have beaten us 1-0 twice and that tells the story of our season."

The story of Zamora's season has, of course, been familiarly prolific.

England under-21 manager David Platt was at Vale Park to watch him, days after giving the young hotshot his international debut a few miles down the road at Stoke.

West Brom chief Gary Megson was another interested observer. They saw glimpses of Zamora's quality on his 100th appearance for the club, including two second-half attempts to add his 70th goal over that period.

He was substituted towards the end, at about the same time as his good friend and former Bristol Rovers team-mate Jamie Cureton came off the bench to score Reading's promotion-clinching equaliser at Brentford.

Albion finished with Charlie Oatway and Paul Rogers back in harness together in the middle of the park.

Oatway returned to the starting line-up in place of the injured Junior Lewis, while Rogers took over from the recalled Wayne Gray to help preserve the lead.

Taylor said: "They have been fantastic pros. They have been out of the team but never let their heads drop and helped keep up everyone else's spirits.

"I thought Charlie Oatway was the best player on the park. He has been hurt by not playing, but what a performance he gave.

"We were nice and patient and we played some decent football."

Chairman Dick Knight continued his tradition of joining the massed ranks of Albion fans on the terraces on the final day.

An accomplished all-round performance, in contrast to the 3-0 defeat at Shrewsbury at the corresponding stage a year ago, was eventually followed by another knees-up.

Vale chairman Bill Bell, clinging to power and under fire from home supporters, finally relented amid concerns about the security implications of allowing the Albion players back on to the pitch.

The PA announcer brought a touch of humour to the celebrations by accidentally reading out the names of the Bournemouth squad!

The players bowed to the boss, the last one out. Taylor said: "That was quite nice. I was going to do the same, but I had my suit on and thought I would get it dirty.

"I should have been doing that to them. The players are a credit to their profession."

Indeed they are. Now it remains to be seen whether Taylor is steering them and Zamora spearheading them in Division One next season.