Ballard – could do better

GOAL kicking isn’t something that Andy Ballard frets over too much.

The free-scoring Roughyeds winger managed to ring up 34 points in 80 minutes of rugby league at the White Hart Lane Community Sports Centre on Saturday — the highest individual match total ever achieved by a player wearing Oldham RL colours.

That total was made up of two tries and 13 conversions from as many attempts, comprising virtually every possible angle.

Last season’s dead-eye goal ace Mick Nanyn had a very deliberate style, but Ballard’s way is more natural and relaxed, in keeping with his laid-back personality.

While he was pleased to set a new all-time club record, though, the ex-Salford flyer believes he could well have claimed even more personal glory in the 78-10 hammering of an outclassed London Skolars side.

“I had hoped to have scored more tries in the game really as I had the chances to do so,” admitted Ballard, who now has 198 points this season from 13 tries and 73 goals in only 12 appearances.

“I could have got at least two more. For our first one I set it up with an inside ball to Thomas Coyle and then there was a chance later in the game where I kicked inside instead of going down the line myself.

“But that is the way I play. I am not ball greedy and just do what I can for the team.

“I have scored 10 out of 10 goals before, but I don’t recall ever having landed all 13.

“I don’t really practise other than in the warm-up before a game, as there are no sticks at training to have a go at.

“I don’t think about it too much. It just comes naturally to me and I have been kicking goals since I was seven years old.”

Another all-time club record Ballard would surely have broken last week, but for a 20-minute spell when Oldham experienced a slight scoring stutter, was Bernard Ganley’s 14 goals in a match, achieved against Liverpool City on April 4, 1959.

Still, there are plenty of other marks left to go at: the all-time points in a season total of 412, set by Bernard Ganley in 1958, the 200 goals Ganley struck in that same season and the new club points record of 362 in a season set by Nanyn last year.

Ballard will simply take those in his stride, but his main goal is to do everything in his power to win every game for Oldham between now and the end of the campaign — including the Gateshead Challenge Cup fifth round tie this weekend.

“I thought we played well on the day against London,” said Ballard.

“I know they aren’t the best side, but we put on a good performance. All we can do is win our games now and hope that Dewsbury slip up a couple of times to let us into that automatic promotion slot.

“This weekend it will be difficult for us up at Gateshead, but we will just go up there to give it the best shot we can and see what happens.”




Hot shots— Oldham’s biggest points scorers



ANDY BALLARD (v L Skolars, May ’09) 34

Andy Ballard (v Workington, March ’09) 30

Abe Johnson (v Widnes, April 1928) 30

Danny Halliwell (v Workington, Aug ’08) 28 Bernard Ganley (v Liverpool City, April 1959) 28