It was under Freddie Steele's management though that Hayward came into his own and was given an attacking role. He scored four goals in two days against Crewe Alexandra in a run of ten goals in seven games, and ended the 1952–53 season with 22 goals in 40 games, becoming the club's top scorer. He hit 25 goals in 45 appearances in the "Valiants" legendary 1953–54 campaign to become the club's top scorer again as Vale topped the Third Division North table with only three defeats in 46 games and also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup. During the campaign he also managed to score in a club record eight straight games from 28 November to 26 January. He also scored a hat-trick in a 4–0 home win over Barrow on 31 August (the first hat-trick at the newly built Vale Park), and again in a 7–0 home win over Stockport County on 10 April.