Wycombe Wanderers remain third in League Two after a 0-0 draw with a stubborn Port Vale side at Adams Park.

Substitute Craig Mackail-Smith had the two best chances for the Blues late on.

His first came on 80 minutes when he met the ball in the area but somehow saw his effort beaten away by Ryan Boot.

On 85 minutes, Mackail-Smith met Adebayo Akinfenwa's header and turned smartly but was denied by an excellent save by the Vale stopper.

Wycombe started the brighter and were close to taking the lead on seven minutes when Vale defender Kyle Howkins headed just wide of his own goal, under severe pressure from Akinfenwa.

Akinfenwa almost scored a minute later when he met Joe Jacobson’s corner with a firm header but Boot tipped it over.

The game had a scrappy feel about it with Wanderers probing but Vale looking reasonably organised at the back.

It was a real battle in the middle of the park with neither side creating much but Akinfenwa’s flick in the 39th minute set Nathan Tyson away but his fierce cross-shot went out for a throw-in.

Just before the break, another dangerous Jacobson corner was met by Sido Jombati with an excellent header but Boot was equal to it.

The Chairboys made a bright start to the second half, pinning Vale back onto the edge of the box.

Wycombe continued to press against a very resolute Vale rearguard but the visitors still posed a threat and Scott Brown made a good save to deny Tyrone Barnett on 62 minutes.

Scott Kashket was brought on by Gareth Ainsworth to freshen things up and he created a great chance for Tafari Moore on 64 minutes but the Arsenal loanee’s touch was too heavy.

Kashket was looking lively and he had a crack on 71 minutes from 25 yards which was well held by Boot in the Vale goal.

The visitors still posed a danger on the break and Charle Raglan tested Brown from long range on 74 minutes.

Mackail-Smith had two his two late chances before the Chairboys had one last chance deep into stoppage time when Marcus Bean rifled the ball across the six-yard box but Vale scrambled it away.

All in all, a decent week for the Chairboys with seven points from nine games as they head into a huge game against Notts County on Good Friday.

WYCOMBE WANDERERS: Brown, Moore, El-Abd, Jombati, Jacobson, Gape, Bean, Thompson (sub: Bloomfield, 65), Freeman (sub: Mackail-Smith, 62), Akinfenwa, Tyson (sub: Kashket, 62). Subs: Ma-Kalambay, Cowan-Hall, Harriman, Williams.

PORT VALE: Boot, Raglan, Pugh, Worrall (sub: Harness, 84), Montano, Barnett, Forrester (sub: Turner, 46), Smith, Whitfield, Howkins, Hannant. Subs: Hornby, Howe, Davis, Harness, Gibbons, Middleton.

REFEREE: Lee Swabey