RANGERS youth boss Ian Durrant hopes Ryan Hardie will get a chance to prove his worth in the Light Blues’ first team sooner rather than later.

The striker bagged a brace as Durrant’s Under-20 side beat Hibernian at Murray Park yesterday to move up to fourth place in the Development League.

Hardie has been a regular fixture in Mark Warburton’s squad this season but has only played twice – against Airdrieonians and Raith Rovers – as the Gers have made a superb start to the season.

The 18-year-old is one of the most highly-rated players in the Auchenhowie ranks and boss Durrant hopes Hardie can lead the way for his kids and become an Ibrox star this term.

“I am pleased with the position at this stage but we know we can do better; we have had a few ups and downs this year,” he told rangers.co.uk.

“I’m not complaining though because we have a chance to develop some of the kids here and that is our main aim – to get the path between development and first-team.

“Of course I would like to win the title, I would be more delighted for the kids but if I can get ones in the first-team and see them playing in front of 50,000 I think I would be more than delighted.

“You would love to see Ryan get a shot in the first-team but I am sure that will come.

“When he comes down to the 20s he has to perform and show the manager what he can do and he certainly planted a seed today.

“It is the manager’s decision, he sees him day in day out and we are just delighted when we get him.

“He trains with the first-team every day now and you can see he is reaping the benefits of it – I think his fitness levels are better and in terms of his physicality he is stronger.

“We have not seen a lot of him this season but when he has been in our team we have won more games than we have lost.”