Vale's seconds crashed to their heaviest league defeat as Caldy took full advantage of some weak tackling and tactical kicking that was far below the level required in the highly charged and competitive atmosphere of the Premier League. The situation was cruelly exposed by the home side in an evolving nightmare.

Hopefully lessons have been learned in this particular school of hard knocks but despite the carnage generated by the try fest some positives emerged. Again the forwards proved to be a solid strong unit, the main problems on the day could be found elsewhere.

In the pack Dan Rainford, Adam Foxcroft, Aiden Yates and Archie Rich grafted hard throughout. Full back Aaron Melville tackled himself to a standstill as he tried to shore up a creaking defence, and Liam Topham made a most favourable impression when he came off the bench on a depressing afternoon for the visitors.

Things began brightly enough for the Vale, playing down the slope, when Neil Walker kicked a penalty goal in the fourth minute. Caldy calmly probed and eventually gaps started to appear and before the end of the opening quarter they had established a 14-3 lead.

Vale's task should have been made slightly less arduous when a Caldy player was shown a red card but being down a player did not appear to affect Caldy's appetite and spirit of adventure because by half time they were well in control at 42-3.

Early in the second half the Vale struggled to pull the drawbridge up and man the barricades. The Caldy cavalry cut loose to produce a torrent of tries. The half century was soon passed, the century loomed as the Vale were pushed imperiously aside.

In the eighty fourth minute, with Caldy now down to thirteen, having a player in the sin-bin, Archie Rich touched down for a consolation try to pull the blinds down on a bleak day at Paton Field.

Next up are Chester at The Lane, "Come on you two's!"

Vale 2: A Yates, G McSporran, O Cowey; J Moore, A Foxcroft, A Rich, R Hodgson, D Rainford (Capt); J Whyke, N Walker; K Dempsey, J Antcliffe, L Birchall, J Fearn; A Melville. Replacements: A Irvine, L Topham.