Hardie is determined to hold on to Pilgrims shirt
RYAN HARDIE is hoping he can have a strong end to the season after scoring for Plymouth Argyle against his former club Blackpool in Saturday’s 2-2 League One draw at Bloomfield Road.
The 24-year-old striker had gone 14 games without getting a goal for the Pilgrims, albeit many of those appearances were as a substitute.
However, as is so often the case in football, his return to familiar territory led to him breaking that scoreless sequence.
It took him only 12 minutes to do so, putting Argyle into a 1-0 lead after the ball rebounded out to him when strike partner Niall Ennis hit a post.
Hardie said: “I’ve played against a few former clubs and it has thankfully went the same way and I’ve managed to score.
“It was obviously a good feeling scoring the goal but frustrating not to get the three points in the end, which is the main thing.”
Play-off chasing Blackpool trailed 1-0 at half-time but scored twice in the second period, only for Joe Edwards to get a stoppage-time equaliser for the Pilgrims.
Hardie said: “The first half, we were dominant. The second half was a bit different, they [Blackpool] came out the traps really well and a few mistakes cost us, but to get the goal in the 90th minute was more of a relief to us, to get the point, because we deserved more from it.”
Hardie’s fifth goal of the season came after midfielder Tyrese Fornah clipped the ball over the top of the Blackpool defence for him to run on to. His cross-shot was touched by goalkeeper Chris Maxwell but dropped to Ennis, who, from close range, hit the ball against the far post. It then rebounded out in front of goal and Hardie was the first to react before shooting low into the net.
Hardie said: “It got played into the channel for me. I tried to cut it back, to be honest.
“It looks like I’ve lobbed the ’keeper but I’ve tried to cut it back to Niall and it has taken a bobble.
“When it fell back to me, I had just one thing on my mind, to get the ball out of my feet and have a shot.
“I heard Pan [midfielder Panutche Camara] screaming behind me, but I’m not leaving it in the box.
He added: “I think that might equal the goals that I scored when I was at Blackpool! It was good. I enjoy scoring goals, that’s what I’m paid to do as a striker, and hopefully I will keep going now until the end of the season.”
Hardie was correct – he only netted once in seven starts and five substitute appearances for Blackpool during the 2019/20 season.
The Scottish striker has now taken his tally for Argyle to 12 in 56 games, after being recalled to the side against Blackpool to play up front alongside Ennis.
He got his chance after top scorer Luke Jephcott played for an hour of Wales Under-21s’ 2-1 defeat by the Republic of Ireland in Wrexham on Friday afternoon.
Hardie said: “We have got healthy competition in the forward area and we all support each other. Whoever plays, we know that they will do a good job.
“It’s frustrating not playing, but at the same time we support each other as a three.
“It’s a long season – there are 46 league games – so you need rotation and you know whoever is called upon will do a job.”
He continued: “I’m ready for any game that comes. It just so happened to be that it was against my former club.
“Jeps was away on international duty and it has given me the opportunity. Obviously, I was buzzing to get it and hopefully I have took that chance.
“The three of us offer different things. We complement each other’s game and that’s what you need in any partnership.
“I’m sure the gaffer [Ryan Lowe] is confident with whatever strike partnership he picks. It’s healthy competition and we know we’re in a good place when any of us play.”