Captain Michael Doyle scored with 15 minutes remaining to seal a win for United since they beat Nott's County on the first day of the season. The Blades, managed by caretaker boss Chris Morgan had taken the lead early on through defender Neil Collins.
Vale defender Danny Jones was booked twice in four minutes to leave the visitors reduced to ten men with the first half of the first 45 uncompleted and on the stroke of half-time Vale levelled via Adam Yates. The Blades resilience paid off in the second half when Doyle fired home from the edge of the area to hand United the win.
Morgan brought in three changes to the team which had lost 3-2 at Coventry City the previous Sunday; Tony McMahon started whilst Florent Cuvelier was named on the substitutes bench as was striker Shaun Miller who competed in his first competitive fixture for a year after recovering from injury. Whilst former Blades boss Micky Adams made just one change to his Vale side, replacing Jennison Myrie-Williams who replaced the suspended Carl Dickinson.
When the start of play was blown it was United who got off the stumbling box the quickest and within ten minutes should have taken the lead when defender Harry Maguire headed wide from ten yards out. But two minutes later they did! McMahon saw his free-kick deflect over the top and out for a corner which was met by the head of COLLINS whose effort lack power but made up for it with precision as the ball glided across goal and into the net.
United searched to double their advantage with Febian Brandy firing over and soon after Vale's Jones was booked for the first time in the game. At the other end Myrie-Williams supplied Loft but his Volley jazzed wide of goal.
With 20 minutes of the proceedings past the Valliant's day was to get even worse when Jones brought down Ryan Flynn and a second yellow card equalled his marching orders with plenty of time left for an early bath. In reply Adams brought on Richard Duffy in place of Myrie-Williams who vented his anger on the touchline at Adams.
Advantaged by an 'extra' man the Blades pushed forward, McMahon shot and was bundled away by Neal in goal before teammates Tom Pope and former Blade Chris Robertson were involved in an heated argument with referee Tim Robinson getting involved.
Marlon King saw his 20 yard deflected shot fire wide as the hosts still searched for that illusive second goal but the hosts were stunned when in the second minute of first half stoppage time the visitors were level; YATES charged down the wing and produced a cross which was mis-read by stopper George Long with the ball landing in the top corner, sparking celebrations from the travelling fans.
Following the re-start after a 15 minute break the Blades were determined to win this match, Taylor drilled a free-kick wide once Robertson was booked for a foul on King and Flynn's square ball was cut out by Neal.
Anxiety kicked-in into the home crowd as Vale hung on for the first 15 minutes of the second half; Doyle hammered a shot over the bar from 20 yards and McMahon hit over from 18 yards before Shaun Miller was introduced on 68 minutes, replacing King.
Robertson headed over from a corner as Vale threatened to ruin the script, but on 75 minutes United regained their lead when for the first time in a long time the Blades hit their opponents for six on the counter attack following a corner, Flynn played DOYLE inside and the Irishman fired the ball hard and low past Neal from 20 yards out; 2-1.
They searched for a third and McMahon's long range attempt was saved and Flynn saw his shot bundled away moments later. Vale threw an extra man into attack as they searched to come away with a point and were handed a slim chance when Long struggled to clear Chris Line's cross but Dodd's header was cleared.
Has the final whistle approached Neal prevented Conor Coady from scoring before the referee put an halt to the proceedings. Prior to the match United were rooted bottom to the table but these points gained takes them out of the bottom four relegation spots ahead of their trip to Peterborough United on Tuesday night.