Abstract: The present invention comprises a valve body (24) with an inlet (28) and an outlet (30), and an inlet-closing poppet (32) moveably disposed within a chamber (26) in the valve body, the poppet incorporating a piston head (34) whose face (36) opposes the inlet and from which projects a plug (62) for closing-off the inlet (28) from the remainder of the piston face (36) when the poppet is at its inlet-closing position. A spring (54) urges the poppet towards its inlet-closing position with sufficient force to keep the inlet closed until the fluid reaches a preselected cracking pressure, whereupon the spring allows the poppet to be displaced slightly, exposing the remainder of the piston face to the fluid. The action of the fluid on the piston face is then sufficient to drive the poppet fully back to an annular stop (60) provided within the valve body whose engagement also serves as a partial seal about the periphery (70) of the piston.