Underbank Rangers paid the highest price for their indiscipline as they slumped to a demoralising National Conference League Second Division home defeat to Bradford Dudley Hill.

But even though the hosts had four players sin-binned during an ill-tempered encounter, they were still only beaten 18-16.

Rangers were also made to pay for making the most sluggish of starts, finding themselves 14-0 behind at half-time.

And it was when Underbank were in the ascendancy and had pulled it back to lead 16-14 on the hour mark that their players received the yellow cards and allowed their visitors to steal the League points with a decisive 70th-minute strike.

The result drops Rangers to fifth in the table after they were leapfrogged by Blackbrook, who had a big win at Leigh East, with Underbank now having to wait until the home clash against leaders Millom on September 5 for the chance to pick up the pieces.

Between now and then, head coach Richard Knight will no doubt be spending a lot of time working on sharpening up his side’s attacking edge, with several good chances blown during a highly-frustrating opening 40 minutes.

That’s something that should bear fruit, particularly as a furious Knight immediately saw a vast improvement in his side following a half-time rollicking.

They opened their account in the 53rd minute when Alex Chatterton released wing partner Michael Lang to finish off and Luke Pogson converted.

But he crucially missed his second attempt just two minutes later after Luke Nelmes crashed over for a score from a Pogson pass.

Although it looked like Rangers might lose some momentum when Tom Stringer was sin-binned in the 60th minute for a professional foul, they still took the lead two minutes later when skipper Kris Harrop strolled over from a great James Usher pass. Pogson converted and Underbank deservedly led 16-14.

However, in an altercation following the score, Chatterton and Hill’s Wall were sin-binned and the visitors quickly struck to regain the lead.

Underbank threw everything at the visitors’ line in the final 10 minutes, but couldn’t find the vital score to clinch the game and were reduced to 11 players for the game’s finale as Nelmes and Usher were yellow-carded for dissent as their frustrations over some cruel refereeing calls spilled over.

Prop Dave Valentine deservedly won the Bengal Spice Man-of-the-Match for a tireless stint up front, both in attack and defence, and was well supported by fellow props Kurt Selmes and Michael Holmes, plus skipper Harrop.