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Flying Dutchman Ryan Hiwat starred for Oldham Athletic in their pre-season win at Halifax Town

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FC HALIFAX TOWN 1, OLDHAM ATHLETIC 2

First-half goals from Rhys Turner and Brian Wilson secured Latics their third pre-season victory on a night when all eyes were on their trialists, especially Dutchman Ryan Hiwat.

The 19-year-old former PSV Eindhoven winger has been linked with moves to a number of big clubs so it is a coup for Latics to lure him to SportsDirect.com Park.

There were also runouts for four other trialists former Stockport County and Celtic centre back Josh Thompson, ex-Motherwell central defender Fraser Kerr, Jack Mmaae, one time striker for Belgian side Standard Liege and Jimmy Keohane, the former Exeter midfielder.

And there was also a premature finish due to floodlight failure as the friendly finished three minutes early.

Mike Jones headed narrowly over before Latics took the lead after 14 minutes when Turner found the net with a neat finish from a Jonathan Forte right-wing cross.

Latics doubled their lead after 27 minutes through an unlikely source. Full back Wilson received the ball on the edge of the box from a Jones corner and thundered home a shot from 25 yards.

It was almost three five minutes later as Joseph Mills hammered a shot from 25 yards from the left hand side and it struck the crossbar and away from danger.
Just before the break,  Thompson headed inches over the crossbar as Latics remained on top.
After a dominant first half, two minutes into the second, Halifax halved the deficit through an own goal from defender Kerr, though Halifax’s Matty Brown also claimed it.
Manager Darren Kelly had introduced trialist Hiwat at the break and Latics almost restored their two-goal advantage through a string of long range efforts.
Jones went close on two occasions, while trialist Hiwat shot over the crossbar from 25 yards.
Halifax almost equalised 10 minutes from time when substitute Connor Brown brought down Josh McDonald on the edge of the box but the resulting free kick was blocked by Danny Philliskirk.
There was a bizarre ending to the game, as floodlight failure had caused a problem throughout the second half as referee Seb Stocksbridge ended the proceedings three minutes early.