PAT Ah Van’s three tries in our 62-14 demolition job on London Skolars took his total for the year to 13 and rocketed him to joint top in the Betfred League One try chart with Dewsbury Rams full-back Owen Restall.
The big South Sea Islander was pretty much unstoppable when at top speed near the line and he could easily have had four or five tries to add to his four second-half goals, which he acquired when taking over the conversion duties from Martyn Ridyard quarter of an hour into the second half.
Shortly afterwards, Ridyard left the field altogether, but he pointed out afterwards it was merely a precautionary measure in the intense heat and he will definitely be available for Sunday’s mouth-watering clash with high-flying Doncaster.
Results in the Roughyeds’ next two games against second-placed Doncaster this Sunday (3pm) at the Vestacare Stadium and then versus top-of-the-table Dewsbury Rams at the Flair Stadium on Friday week (7.30pm) will largely determine whether Oldham retain their prospects of finishing top and going up automatically or needing to qualify for promotion via the play-offs.
Ridyard, incidentally, kicked five goals from six attempts before handing over to Ah Van down in London and they were enough to elevate him to second place in League One’s goal and points charts, behind Doncaster half-back Connor Robinson in each category.
The Oldham captain has 52 league goals compared with Robinson’s 53 and 112 points against Robinson’s 130.
That match-up alone on Sunday should be well worth the admission.
