Winger displays finishing prowess

OLDHAM winger Adam Clay is building a reputation as one of the most lethal finishers in Kingstone Press League One.

His try hat-trick in a stirring 45-20 win against Newcastle Thunder took his total so far this year to 12 in nine games across all competitions.

Only North Wales Crusaders forward Jono Smith, with 13, has touched down more times than Clay in League One, iPro Sport Cup and Ladbrokes Challenge Cup games.

The 24-year-old former Salford and Barrow Raiders player, who was on Manchester City's books as a boy footballer, is way ahead of Oldham’s other leading try scorers.

Jon Ford and Jack Holmes are equal second on seven, followed by George Tyson on six and by Josh Crowley, Danny Langtree, Steven Nield and Jarrod Ward, all on four.

Clay is approaching half-distance to the ‘new’ Oldham club record for tries in a season.

That was established by Nick Johnson with 26 from 33 games in the 2004 campaign when Roughyeds finished fourth behind Leigh, Whitehaven and Hull KR in National League One, one tier down from Super League.

In a dozen games this season (all competitions), Scott Naylor’s men have totalled 411 points from 75 tries, 54 goals and three drop goals at an average of six tries per game.

Lewis Palfrey has kicked 46 of his side’s 54 goals — second only to Tommy Johnson’s 49 for North Wales Crusaders — and has chalked up 101 points in total with the addition of two tries and a drop goal.