Wrexham loanee Ryan Hardie underlined his value with a decisive goal as Huddersfield Town came from behind to beat Barnsley 2-1 in League One.
The 28-year-old striker, currently on loan from Wrexham, struck from the bench to seal a crucial win and maintain Huddersfield’s place in the top six.
Hardie only joined Huddersfield Town on 2 February, arriving on loan from Wrexham until the end of the season. He moved to Wrexham permanently in June 2025 after an outstanding spell with Plymouth Argyle, where he scored 53 league goals and played a key role in their 2022-23 League One title-winning campaign.
Still working his way back from a knee injury sustained before the move, Hardie had completed only limited training before this fixture. That context made his impact all the more significant.
Huddersfield had fallen behind late in the first half when David McGoldrick curled a superb effort into the far top corner after being afforded too much space on the edge of the area. The hosts needed a response to protect their play-off position and found one through captain Ryan Ledson, who headed home Bali Mumba’s cross in the 57th minute.
The winning moment arrived courtesy of Wrexham’s man. Substitute Cameron Ashia squared the ball across the box and Hardie met it first time, driving a low finish beyond Owen Goodman. It was a sharp, instinctive strike from a forward whose career numbers underline his pedigree.
Hardie began his professional journey with Rangers, gaining further experience on loan before spells at Blackpool and Plymouth. Across his senior career he has scored 110 goals in all competitions, including reaching 100 career goals in February 2025.
Huddersfield head coach Liam Manning was quick to highlight both the striker’s attitude and finishing quality.
“We were desperate to get him in, despite knowing he wasn’t going to be available for a few weeks, and he deserves huge credit for how he’s looked after himself.”
“He had his first session back on Monday after eight weeks out, a very light session. He got a few minutes against Doncaster on Tuesday, then he’s been in light training again on Friday.”
“So he’s not done a huge amount of training, to be honest, so for him to come and produce like that shows everything about why we were so keen to get him in.”
“He causes problems off the back of people, he’s a really good finisher, and I’ve given him a bit of stick because he should have scored two!”
“But the quality of the finish for his goal is top, and we needed that.”
Hardie form good for Wrexham
For Wrexham, Hardie’s sharpness in front of goal will be encouraging. While his immediate task is helping Huddersfield’s promotion push, performances like this reinforce why the Championship club secured him on a long-term deal last summer and why his development during this loan spell could prove significant in the months ahead.
If they don’t see him as part of their journey, then a loan spell with a club known to spend £1m plus on a forward can only be a good thing, as they might recoup their outlay. it puts him in the shop window, at the very least.
