ADLINGTON Rangers’ promotion hopes suffered a setback with a heavy defeat at table-topping Blackpool.

Rangers turned in their worst performance for some time in the big Division Two clash in which they second best virtually throughout.

Weak defending allowed Blackpool to make the early breakthrough and set the scene for a day Rangers will want to forget in a hurry.

The local lads responded positively and hit back with fine play as Michael Ferney made a break, backed up well by Anton Garcia, and Ferney kept going for Garcia to put him in at the corner.

Rangers were soon on the back foot again as Blackpool scored soon after the restart.

The Rangers defending left a lot to be desired and was at fault for a number of tries which followed one after the other.

They showed flashes of what they are capable of, Martin Malone producing a menacing run close to the line in which he shrugged off four opponents and setting up winger Martin Taylor which would have seen him go over the line in the corner had it not been for a number of Blackpool defenders managing to push him into touch.

Rangers had a steep hill to climb at 32-4 down at half-time. They started the second half well with hooker Richard Wareing fooling the defence with a dummy to put himself over right in front of the sticks.

But this was the last thing that went right for Rangers as the rot set in.

Half-back Martin Riding was taken off the field and straight to hospital after breaking his wrist in a tackle.

Scorpions then ran in a number of tries with apparent ease as Rangers’ defence crumbled.

Adlington are always looking for new players. Anybody interested can contact Gary Prescott on 07837 670403.