RYAN Hardie is hoping to get a regular run of games for Plymouth Argyle over the rest of the season after two enforced spells out of the side over the past couple of months.
First, the 26-year-old suffered a hamstring injury in the late October, which kept him out of action for five weeks. Then, in only the fourth game after his return, Hardie was badly concussed after a clash of heads in the 3-2 win against Rotherham United at Home Park on December 16.
He did not suffer any side effects but strict concussion protocols meant he had to miss Argyle's two matches either side of Christmas before making his comeback as a half-time substitute away to Southampton on Friday.
Although the Pilgrims lost 2-1 to the promotion-chasing Saints, a late opportunist goal from Hardie got him back onto the scoresheet, which was a promising sign for the weeks and months to come.
Hardie told Herald Sport: "I think the last 10-12 days has been very frustrating for me because I wasn't out with an injury, it was following a protocol. From the night it happened I have been absolutely fine.
"I have had no side effects but it's just the protocols you need to follow when you get such a bad concussion. There was a few things that happened on the pitch (against Rotherham). I wanted to play on but I don't remember that at the time.
"I'm really glad to be back out there helping the team and hopefully I can go on a run until the end of the season." Hardie received lengthy medical attention on the Home Park pitch after he challenged for a header inside the Rotherham penalty area and was involved in a sickening clash of heads with defender Daniel Ayala.
Soon after he had been taken to the physio room. Hardie was joined there by Mustapha Bundu, the player who had been sent on as a substitute for him, after he was heavily tackled by Hakeem Odoffin and was left with a badly gashed shin.
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