Ryan Hardie: Plymouth Argyle striker says Exeter City goals some of most important in his career
- Published
Ryan Hardie's goals helped Plymouth Argyle beat Exeter City for the first time since February 2017
Ryan Hardie said the two goals he scored to help Plymouth Argyle beat Devon rivals Exeter City 4-2 were some of the most important of his career.
The Pilgrims twice came from a goal down to level the game at 2-2 before Hardie's introduction off the bench.
The striker went on to score twice as Argyle sealed a first win over Exeter City in almost six years.
"It's one of the biggest games I've played in, the Devon derby means so much to so many people," he said.
"It's definitely up there in my career with the goals I've scored importance-wise and just to do it was an incredible feeling."
The win was a club record ninth successive home league victory for Argyle and re-established their four-point lead at the top of League One.
"It's a massive night for the team, there's not been one of these games in a few years now and for us to come out on the right side of it is a good feeling," the Scot told BBC Sport.
"It was a proper derby, tackles, goals, shots and then the crowd - it was an unbelievable atmosphere and one that I was buzzing to play in."
Hardie took his tally to nine goals in all competitions this season and has now scored 41 times in 129 appearances for the club spanning two loan spells and a permanent move from Blackpool in February 2021.
"When you put him in the middle of the box like that with those opportunities, you fancy him to take them," Argyle manager Steven Schumacher added.
"Ryan is a top finisher, he backs himself every time to score those goals, so it's our job to put him in those positions and hopefully he takes them.
"I've got that confidence in all the strikers, so whichever one we pick, we pick him for a reason, and we feel as though if it's not quite working we're going to be able to get somebody on who's going to make an impact for us and change the game for us and make a difference.
"Whoever starts we've got belief in, but the lads who are coming off the bench, we believe in them as well."