Darryl McHardy will now provide Elgin City with a fresh channel of attacking force after the deadline day signing of Ross Draper.
That’s the view of Black and Whites manager Gavin Price, who has moved his long-serving centre-half to the left side of midfield, so as to accommodate ex-Inverness and Ross County star Draper into the heart of the defence.
That line-up worked a treat in Elgin’s table-rising 2-0 home win against Bonnyrigg Rose in League 2 on September 3, but was also used to good effect in recent strong performances in league and cup before Draper signed a two-year deal.
Scottish football is set to return this weekend following its suspension last weekend as a mark of respect for the passing of Queen Elizabeth.
Seventh-placed Elgin will overtake Saturday hosts Stenhousemuir, who are fourth, on goal difference should they secure three points.
McHardy settling into new position
Manager Price praised the way McHardy has taken to the switch of position and feels, with a bit of guidance, he’ll offer a fresh dimension to the Moray team.
He said: “Darryl has been playing the last few games higher up the park.
“He provides a different physical outlet for us, which has been working.
“He has got to adapt his fitness in games because it’s a different position, but he’s done that fairly well.
“He is also an aerial threat and gives us that physical presence higher up the park, which gives us a different direction to our play at times.
“Darryl is always a threat in the box and he has a striker’s instinct.
“We’re coaching him in terms of the timing of his runs.”
Draper’s experience aids Elgin City
Draper partnered Jake Dolzanski at the back in the win against second-placed Bonnyrigg, while Jevan Anderson and Matthew Cooper are other back-line options for Price.
Securing freed Cove Rangers player Draper until the summer of 2024 is a great piece of business for Elgin, which, according to Price, extends beyond what he offers on the pitch.
He said: “Having Ross Draper in the squad gives us more options in terms of whether we play a back four or a back three.
“There are different ways we can work things. That’s why we were keen to bring Ross in early in the season.
“We were not signing Ross just for what he does on the park.
“We also signed him because of how he conducts himself in training. I think it’s a real eye-opener for a lot of our younger players, as well as our experienced players.
“They all see how he handles himself on and off the park. He brings that level of professionalism to the club.
“On the park, he also has those leadership qualities and organisational skills, but equally we’ve signed Ross for the influence he gives us off the park in and around the dressing room.
“We’ve a relatively young squad, so I see Ross as a really shrewd acquisition for us.”
Elgin’s home fixture against Albion Rovers was postponed on Saturday, along with all SPFL fixtures, and will be rescheduled.
Conversation