Vale travelled Lightfoot Green with only fifteen players which included a number who were clearly playing out of position to help the cause, but once the home side lit the afterburners the Vale were left trailing in their wake and were overwhelmed.
For the majority of the game it was backs to the wall for the visitors but despite non-stop pounding they performed courageously to stem the tide flowing incessantly towards their line. Elliot Hatton and Phil Riley tackled ferociously, Dan Rainford played himself to a standstill but despite all their efforts a free running Hoppers side found time and space to inflict maximum damage on the beleaguered Vale.
Surprisingly the Vale scored first when Alex Hill kicked through and won the race for the touchdown after two minutes, Gareth Price adding the conversion then reality kicked in. Hoppers turned up the wick and by half time had established a 38-7 lead.
The second half was a mirror image of the first as the points began to rack up as Preston introduced fresh legs at every opportunity which meant as far as the Vale was concerned there was to be no respite until the referee signalled full time.
Vale A: G Price; A Hill, P Riley, J Antcliffe, M Poulson; K Doyle (Capt), O Dobson; M Field, G McSporran, A Sutcliffe; D Rainford, E Hatton; R Pillow, I Turton, D Harrison.