Darryl McHardy admits he would rather pass goalscoring responsibilities to the Elgin City strikers – and focus on keeping clean sheets.
The League Two opener highlighted early teething troubles for the Borough Briggs hosts as they passed up good opportunities and let slip a costly equaliser.
Defender McHardy’s powerful header sent the Black and Whites off to a great start in the first half, but the 25 year-old was left frustrated by full-time after Grant Gallagher’s 55th minute leveller.
There was a sense of shared responsibility for what McHardy admits was a setback even this early in the campaign.
The centre half said: “It was good to get a goal and get off the mark at the start of the season, but I would rather have had a win.
“A draw was not what we were looking for in the first game of the season and we had more than enough chances to win.
“I’m good at attacking the ball in the air and it was good to get one in the league straight away, but it’s not about goals for me,
“I need to concentrate on my defending and get that side of the game sorted out. I would rather have clean sheets than goals this year.
“We should have taken some of those chances and then be kicking on for next week with three points on the board.
“We’ll just have to dust ourselves down and concentrate on getting our finishing sorted out – and our defending as well.
“Between the back four and the midfield, we need to speak amongst ourselves about the goal we conceded.”
🆕🎥 | INTERVIEW@gavprice74 spoke to Elgin City TV following today’s 1-1 draw at home to Stranraer.
Longer version 👉 https://t.co/zP4eTfrGeu
— Elgin City F.C. (@ElginCityFC) July 31, 2021
City’s poor day was made worse by injury to defender Matthew Cooper who aggravated a shin injury in a 35th minute challenge.
McHardy added: “It was a big blow losing Coops, but we can’t use that as an excuse. Coops is really good at right back but Angus Mailer was brilliant there in the second half.”
Stranraer opened the game well with Josh Walker firing just wide, while Sean Burns’ curling attempt was finger-tipped around the post by keeper Daniel Hoban.
Against the run of play, Kane Hester forced a block from Stranraer keeper Curtis Lyle to win a corner on 22 minutes.
Tony Dingwall flighted the kick in from the left and McHardy rose above the keeper to nod home.
Stranraer came out with all guns blazing in the second half, eventually levelling when full back Sean McIntosh’s cross from the right was headed in sweetly by Gallagher.
On a rare day of missed chances for Hester, Elgin finished strongly but couldn’t snatch the win.
Manager Gavin Price said: “I thought we fully kicked into the game in the final 20 minutes and we’ve had enough chances to win two or three games.
“It’s a bit gut-wrenching that we haven’t picked up three points.
“Kane is disappointed in himself but I’ve said to him he shouldn’t beat himself up about not taking chances, as long as he’s there to take the next one.
“The way he creates chances for himself is outstanding and he will miss chances but we know he will score them as well, as long as he keeps getting them.”
🆕🎥 | INTERVIEW
Elgin City TV spoke to @kane_jay_hester following yesterday’s 1-1 draw at home to Stranraer.
— Elgin City F.C. (@ElginCityFC) August 1, 2021
