After a promising win against Blackpool and a draw at high-flying neighbours Crewe, Port Vale's chances of avoiding relegation have been given a boost and with Brentford having nothing to play for, this seemed a prime opportunity to collect a second win in three games.
The Bees didn't look particularly threatening during the first half but did manage to put together a chance in the 14th minute when Steve Hunt put a low cross in from the left to find towering striker Mickael Antoine-Curier who could only shoot wide right of Dean Delaney's post.
Fans could have been forgiven for falling asleep before 36 minutes, but were abruptly woken up when Adrian Littlejohn played a perfect corner from the right into the heart of the box where Sam Collins jumped unmarked and powered the ball into Paul Smith's bottom left corner leaving him with no chance.
The Valiants goal proved to be the only real highlight of the first half with both sides battling it out in midfield but struggling to form any icebreaking attacks.
The second half began just as the first half finished off with both sides taking it slow and careful but the pace did change briefly in the 55th minute when Littlejohn out-ran Michael Dobson on the left to cross from the byline, but Mark Bridge-Wilkinson rushed his volley and skied it over Smith's bar.
Brian Horton's men almost extended their lead in the 79th minute when Littlejohn collected the ball just outside the area and chipped it in for Billy Paynter, who got a slight head on the ball to send it bouncing of Smith's right-hand post from six yards.
A delighted Horton said: "Three nervous points, no-one really got to grips with the game, we scored a goal from a set-piece, but I thought we defended extremely well.
"Cheltenham is a massive game now, but it's looking a bit better. It could be promotion form."