Boss hits out after Warley cup exit

The Halifax AFL top flight side crashed out 7-2 in the third round, suffering a late collapse and finishing the game with nine men.

Chapman praised the Rangers players who had given their all in horrendous conditions and thought that the game should have been called off due to the state of the field.

However, he said the biggest disappointment was that some players had not turned up for what was a big game, leaving Warley desperately short of options.

“Quite honestly we will be fortunate to see the season out unless there is a big improvement in attitude and desire,” he said.

Chapman said it had been “nothing short of a disaster from the morning of the game until the very end.”

Rangers, who had only arrived at the ground 20 minutes before kick off, were clearly not up for the battle and found themselves three goals down inside 30 minutes to the West Yorkshire League first division high flyers.

Hartshead cashed in on some calamitous defending and also scored with a well taken free kick and a penalty.

However, one minute before the interval Dan Kirman prodded the ball home following a goalmouth scramble in a rare Warley attack to give the visitors a lifeline.

Two minutes into the second half an unlikely comeback seemed possible as Carlton Balmer volleyed in a superb shot from 20 yards.

The home side was now hanging on but a moment of madness gifted Hartshead another penalty and the goal knocked the stuffing out of Warley.

Goals five, six and seven followed and injuries took their toll on Warley. Ed Brigg and Kirman battled heroically until the end but the visitors finished well beaten.