GILES Barnes enjoyed a promising first run-out in an Albion shirt - but was upstaged by hat-trick hero Chris Wood.
Former Derby star Barnes, who signed for the Baggies at the start of the month after a training spell, played the opening 45 minutes on his comeback from a six-month Achilles injury lay-off.
The 21-year-old showed glimpses of his undoubted ability and came through his first workout unscathed, but he still had to play second fiddle to Wood, who netted a fine 28-minute first-half treble.
Albion could have added to their three goals in the opening 45 minutes.
But what looked like a straight-forward victory was suddenly put in doubt when Vale sub Anthony Malbon and striker Gary Glover pulled goals back in the 72nd and 75th minutes respectively.
And keeper Dean Kiely had to be at his best to preserve Albion's lead during the dying stages.
The Baggies started brightly and Wood went close to breaking the deadlock inside two minutes with a right-foot shot which whistled just past the far post.
He went one better within 60 seconds.
Kayleden Brown, fresh from his two-game stint on the first-team bench, intercepted a wayward Vale pass before pulling the ball back to Wood who composed himself after an initial air-kick to find the far bottom corner.
Barnes, who started wide right before roaming where he pleased, soon caught the eye with a foraging diagonal run towards the edge of the box which resulted in him planting a fierce drive straight at Vale keeper Joe Anyon.
Moments later, another direct run, this time down the left-hand side of the penalty area, culminated in Barnes firing across a low centre which just evaded his lurking team-mates.
Vale regrouped and recorded their first effort at goal on 15 when Kiely showed a safe pair of hands to collect left-back Matthew Bell's deflected 20-yard drive.
Joss Labadie, back from his loan spell at League Two Cheltenham, then took centre stage, firstly seeing a 25-yard missile fly just wide before winning a 27th-minute penalty after being felled in the box by Luke Prosser.
Wood made no mistake, calmly sending Anyon the wrong way from 12 yards.
Just four minutes later, the New Zealand international completed his hat-trick.
The powerhouse striker exchanged a neat one-two with Sam Mantom just inside the Vale half before powering forward and clinically slipping the ball past Anyon.
Vale had Anyon to thank for keeping the score at 3-0 in the 36th minute when he pulled off a stunning triple save.
Barnes powered forward before stinging Anyon's hands with a 25-yard exocet.
The Vale keeper bounced back onto his feet to deny Brown at point-blank range from the rebound and he also had to be alert to block Haber's 20-yard follow-up strike.
There was still time for Barnes to showcase more skills with a Zinedine Zidane style double step over, which brought the curtain down on a highly-encouraging 45-minute run-out.
However, just before the half-time whistle, Wood slightly blotted his copybook when his mistake led to an opening for Louis Dodds, but Kiely was equal to his 18-yard shot.
Albion were on the front foot again after the break and Brown failed to convert a great chance from 12 yards after a fine right-wing run by Marcus Haber.
Haber turned provider again moments later, this time for Labadie, who hammered a ferocious 20-yard drive against the left-hand post.
The game descended into a war of attrition until Vale brought it back to life with two goals inside three minutes.
Kiely did brilliantly on 72 to keep out Glover's downward header from a left-wing cross but sub Malbon was on hand to poke home the rebound.
The Ireland keeper knew his luck was well and truly out when Brown conceded the harshest of penalties for an alleged tug on Prosser on 75.
Kiely pulled off another stunning save to keep out Glover's penalty, only for the ball to fly straight to the Vale striker, who smashed home the rebound.
Back came Albion and Anyon showed good reflexes to deny sub Lateef Elford-Alliyu from Labadie's downward header.
But the Baggies had two more lucky escapes in the dying stages.
Dodds fired a great chance wastefully over from 12 yards before Kiely pulled off a terrific reflex save to prevent Mantom stabbing a low cross into his own net.
ALBION (4-4-2): Kiely; Samuels, Gayle, Malcolm, Connolly; Barnes (Elford-Alliyu HT), Labadie, Mantom, Brown; Wood (Lynch HT), Haber (Grier 60). Subs not used: Allsop (gk), Mannion.
VALE (4-4-2): Anyon; Morsy, Ede (Davies 81), Prosser, Bell; Richman, Howland (Raglan 88), Loft (Malbon 69), Dodds; Glover, Taylor. Subs not used: Rice, Watson.
GOALS: ALBION - Wood (3, 27 pen, 31.) VALE - Malbon (72), Glover (75).
BOOKINGS: ALBION - Brown (foul 74). VALE - Trichman (foul 69)
REFEREE: D Coote.
