‘THAT ONE'S FOR YOU!'

HARDIE DEDICATES CREWE HAT-TRICK TO THE GREEN ARMY

-  CHRIS ERRINGTON

RYAN Hardie admitted after completing a hat-trick in Plymouth Argyle’s 4-1 League One victory over Crewe Alexandra that he had wanted to pay back everyone for the support they had shown him after his penalty miss against Chelsea.

The Scottish striker took his goal tally for the season to 15 in all competitions as the Pilgrims overturned a 1-0 half-time deficit to end up easily beating their relegation-threatened hosts.

Hardie equalised for Argyle against Crewe in the 48th minute and, after Niall Ennis put them ahead soon afterwards, he went on to get two more goals.

In doing so, the 24-year-old became the first Pilgrims’ player to get a hat-trick in seven years, since Reuben Reid did it in a 3-1 Devon Derby win away to Exeter City in February 2015

Hardie had been in the spotlight on Saturday after he had a penalty saved by Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga late into extra-time of the FA Cup fourth round tie at Stamford Bridge, and Argyle went on to lose 2-1.

However, Hardie was backed by manager Steven Schumacher to bounce back from that disappointment and that is exactly what he did.

Hardie said: “For a personal note, it’s massively important for me to bounce back from the weekend.

“I felt like I owed it to everybody after the disappointment on Saturday. Obviously, the crowd, the players, the staff - everybody was behind me.