The seconds more than met their match against a very fit, agile and quite ruthless Macclesfield side who posted a 19 try victory on the wide open spaces at The Lane.
It was a tough baptism of fire for some in the Vale squad but they stood up to the pummelling to emerge with credit. Seb Charnock, who tackled courageously throughout, fully deserved his try to cap a fully committed performance against a well drilled second team. A pair of young half backs also announced themselves on a wider stage. Taylor Mills and Joe Baldwin shoulder a heavy burden but despite the whirlwind that raged around them they played with considerable composure.
Vale's only try came in the twenty second minute as a result of a well worked move, carried out at pace, Seb's try being converted by Michael Forrest. Unfortunately they were few of these moments for Vale's loyal group of supporters to savour, but they were the first to compliment Vale's players for their valiant efforts to stem the tide.
In the closing quarter Macclesfield ran the Vale ragged when they upped the tempo as the Vale's fitness levels went deep into the red and points tally mounted to nightmarish proportions to highest total since a 103-8 defeat at Caldy last October.
There is a postscript to such a clobbering that might help to ease the pain of disappointment because amongst the debris of defeat a crumb of comfort could be unearthed because this particular Macclesfield outfit would have given any team a good run for their money.
Saturday will provide the opportunity to bounce back because the seconds travel to play Lymm 2 in a double header because the Cotton Traders Premier League fixture will be combined with a first round tie in the Brooke Edgley Technical Services Cup.
Vale 2: J Stevens, G McSporran, A Cowey; A Foxcroft, R Mudd; J Wallbank (Capt), M Bennett, S Hoare; T Mills, J Baldwin; J Fearn, D Helme, M Forrest, S Charnock; S Manning. Replacements: M Field, A Melville, S McDonald.