Elgin City goals against Stirling Albion and Brechin City prove Darryl McHardy's value to his team, says manager Gavin Price
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
ELGIN City goal hero Darryl McHardy has “got his mojo back” according to his manager.
Gavin Price lauded the efforts of the centre back after his winning goal at Brechin City on Tuesday night.
With McHardy also netting Elgin’s equaliser against Stirling Albion last Saturday, he is underlining his value to his home town club.
The player had voiced his own surprise at being left out of City’s starting line-up this season, having spent a part of the previous campaign loaned out to Highland League Rothes to gain him match fitness.
City’s defensive concerns in their two matches back from the suspension of the season led Price to recall McHardy, and his faith has been rewarded.
“We all want this Darryl McHardy at the club, the one that’s got this passion. There’s no doubt about that,” said Price.
“Fair play to him, he’s really responded and I’m pleased with him.
“He deserves it because he’s worked harder for it. He’s also played better defensively and we will still work on that
“His head has arguably gained us three points in the last two games and that is a big thing. He always gives us that threat in the opposition box and he came up with a vital goal for us on Tuesday.
“He’s got his mojo back and it’s good to see. Hopefully he will get confidence from his performances and his all-round game will keep improving.”
Elgin were on the back foot for long stretches of the first half at Brechin and it was little surprise that the side battling to avoid relegation from League Two had the advantage at half-time.
Connor Barron’s low strike from distance on the half-hour mark was reward for their dominance, and Price had to rally his troops at the interval.
The Black and Whites gained a stroke of luck when a Russell Dingwall header was handled on the line by Brechin defender Yusuf Hussain a minute after the break, and the home player was sent-off before Kane Hester slotted home the resulting penalty. Then McHardy nodded in the winner from an Archie Macphee corner.
“We got a good test of character from a hard first half and I asked for a response, and I got it,” Price revealed.
“Every game is going to be a battle from here on in and we are going to have to be prepared for that if we are gong to get enough wins to take us where we want to go.”
