WATCH: Northern Ireland international drops Player of the Match trophy after earning praise from Plymouth Argyle boss Wayne Rooney for stunning Championship display
Northern Ireland international Conor Hazard showed safe hands as nine-man Plymouth Argyle salvaged a point in their Championship clash with Queens Park Rangers – but the same can’t be said for his display in the post-match Player of the Match presentation.
Hazard produced a sensational performance at Loftus Road, making nine crucial saves – including one fine stop with his feet to deny international teammate Paul Smyth – in a third consecutive league start for Wayne Rooney’s side at the beginning of the new campaign.
The 26-year-old made the move to Plymouth from Celtic last year and largely had to settle for a back-up role to Michael Cooper, who has since departed for Sheffield United, and will now face a challenge from former Manchester City youth product Dan Grimshaw to maintain his spot between the sticks.
He did his case no harm whatsoever with Saturday’s showing – which was live on Sky Sports – and was named Player of the Match, presented by Morgan Whittaker, but Hazard’s award hilariously slipped through his fingers on to the floor with the punditry team quipping “good job he waited until the end to drop something!”.
Manchester United and England legend Rooney, who has previously managed Derby County, DC United and Birmingham City, was named new Plymouth boss in May and hailed Hazard’s role in the victory.
"The character the players showed, the energy and ugly side of the game, I thought we were fantastic,” he told Sky Sports after the match. "We defended the box really well and Conor Hazard made some really good saves.
"We showed a real desire to get something from the game and I'm delighted with the performance. In difficult circumstances they stood up and showed the passion that I want to see in the team.
"We were brave and played some really good stuff. We knew the second half was going to be a battle and everything we didn't show against Sheffield Wednesday we showed today."
Hazard also earned praise from opposition manager Marti Cifuentes, who said: "We adjusted a couple of things at half-time after they got the red card. We attacked much better in the first 25 to 30 minutes of the second half and created a lot of chances and their keeper was outstanding.”
Downpatrick man Hazard has made eight senior Northern Ireland appearances and has been a consistent presence in the squad over recent years throughout loan spells at the likes of Dundee and Finnish outfit HJK Helsinki.
He has mainly been understudy to Bailey Peacock-Farrell, who is now Birmingham City’s new number one after enjoying a loan spell from Burnley to Danish side Aarhus last season.
Another Northern Irish goalkeeper, Luke Southwood, also earned a summer transfer, swapping Cheltenham Town for Bolton Wanderers and was their EFL Cup penalty shootout hero earlier this month as they progressed past Mansfield Town, but the 26-year-old is currently serving as back-up in League One to Nathan Baxter.