Hardie hopes to build on his Ibrox bow

RYAN HARDIE anticipates being part of Pedro Caixinha’s attacking options this season after making a surprise substitute bow yesterday.

The 20-year-old benefited from an injury picked up by Eduardo Herrera in midweek to earn a place on the bench, then come on as Rangers pushed for a winner against Hearts.

That move was unsuccessful with Hardie frustrated to see his one chance deflected wide with ten minutes to play.

But he is hopeful of more opportunities at Ibrox instead of a fourth loan spell away from the club. The striker has spent two stints at Raith Rovers and one with St Mirren.

‘It’s great to get a chance and I want to keep myself in and around the squad,’ said Hardie, who scored for the Under-20s in the defeat to Dumbarton on Wednesday night.

‘I don’t expect to go back out on loan this season. I got a chance to score late on and I just had to try to get a shot away as quickly as possible. The defender blocked it and on another day it would have gone in. I was unfortunate.

‘Towards the end, we got a few more chances but Hearts were solid, sat behind the ball and made it hard for us.

‘After Wednesday night, I trained on Thursday and found out Herrera had a knock. I always have to prepare myself for when the chance comes then try to take it.

‘It’s encouraging that the manager is willing to give young boys a chance. It keeps you on your toes knowing that he’s not scared to use the youths.’

Caixinha explained his call to take off midfielder Graham Dorrans for Hardie’s introduction.

‘We kept Jacko (Ryan Jack) in the middle to give us a balance and let Niko (Kranjcar) attack, to leave us two strikers and more presence in the box,’ he said. ‘We were showing that we were arriving in the box, placing the ball in the box a lot but (Alfredo) Morelos was on his own. That is the reason Hardie came in there, for us to open the pitch and try to get more bodies in the box.’