THEY called him the ‘Goal Machine’ at Sheffield Wednesday but didn’t give him a game... Could Wanderers be about to benefit from the striker scorned?

Gary Madine arrived at the Macron Stadium this season with a few points to prove and a few more doubters to silence. And if pre-season is anything to go by, he should accomplish both tasks fairly quickly.

Two goals at Port Vale last night took his tally to four in six outings this summer; not bad for a player who could hardly get a game at Hillsborough in the Championship and ended up farmed out to Blackpool on loan.

It is too early to suggest Madine can join the long list of lost souls that have redeemed themselves at Wanderers but the signs are good.

Lennon named his strongest line-up of the summer so far but, in truth, was lucky to come away with a second victory of pre-season as Byron Moore bounced a last-minute penalty off the bar, which would have meant a deserved share of the spoils for Vale.

Mark Davies made a welcome return to the side, having missed the last few games with a swollen knee. Wanderers always look a more fluent outfit with him in the side, and with the insurance of Neil Danns, Josh Vela and Liam Trotter sitting slightly deeper, he was able to pick and choose his moments to join in with the attack.

Defender David Wheater also travelled with the squad, hinting that he could be back in action sooner rather than later.

The Whites were lucky not to have fallen behind early on as Sam Kelly drove at a back-pedalling defence and blasted a right-footed effort which bounced off the inside of Ben Amos’s post and out to safety.

It wasn’t the only nervous moment, either. Watford loanee Uche Ikpeazu caused a few problems for his marker, Derik Osede.

Vale, who adjusted well from the early loss of Michael O’Connor, looked a threat going forward, even if they were taking gambles at the back. Moore went very close after taking advantage of some hesitant defending to drive a shot just wide from the edge of the box, and Ikpeazu headed an Anthony Grant corner just over the crossbar.

Despite having to absorb some pressure, Wanderers had two clear-cut chances to take the lead before they actually did.

Madine should have done better when he beat a high offside trap and looked to pass square to Feeney before seeing a second effort saved well by Sam Johnson.

Fans have wondered if the big striker is the kind of clinical finisher the club has been crying out for, and a few minutes later he would present a pretty good case to suggest to the affirmative.

Before that, Feeney also wasted another decent chance. Once again Vale’s high defensive line was breached and with keeper Johnson racing off his line, the Whites winger got his lobbed attempt horribly wrong.

The direct ball over the top to Feeney was becoming a recurring theme, and much to the home fans’ chagrin, the linesman was keeping his flag down for the most part.

So it proved five minutes before the break as Derik’s long pass out of defence found Madine in the left channel, the striker took a touch, composed himself and curled a lovely finish into the top corner.

Home fans were incensed, claiming Madine was offside. The linesman’s retort to their jibes was a classic – taking a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbing his eyes as if to mock cry.

Madine won’t have shed any tears at chalking up another pre-season goal, particularly after his earlier miss, and Lennon was certainly pleased to welcome his side back down the tunnel a goal to the good.

That lead was threatened immediately after the restart as the home fans again had reason to berate the officials.

Referee Carl Sarginson didn’t play advantage as Ikpeazu burst into the area, pulling the game back for a foul on the edge of the box.

But while the Valiants fans moaned, Wanderers got on with it and soon had a second goal to calm their nerves.

It was simply crafted – Lawrie Wilson pulling the ball back for Danns to swing in a cross for Madine, who couldn’t miss with his header from close in.

Vale weren’t done yet, however, and Ajay Leitch-Smith was nearly gifted a goal by a terrible back-pass from Dorian Dervite. Moments later, Moore blasted a shot from the right, which landed perfectly in the path of sub Sam Foley to pull one back for the League One men.

They went desperately near to an equaliser six minutes before the end as Dickinson’s shot looped off the crossbar.

In the last minute of stoppage-time sub Filip Twardzik tripped Moore to gift Vale a chance to equalise from the penalty spot – but once again the woodwork was in the way, the same player crashing his shot against the horizontal with the last kick of the game.

Wanderers: Amos, Wilson, Dervite (Taylor 75), Derik (Holding 75), Moxey (Twardzik 75), Danns, Vela (Medo 80), Trotter (Spearing 63), Davies (Dobbie 63), Feeney (Woolery 86), Madine

Subs not used: Fitzsimons