Thick-skinned Moore ready to learn from his mistake

Keeper Stuart Moore admitted it has been a quick learning curve to his start as Luton's new number one.
Hatters keeper Stuart MooreHatters keeper Stuart Moore
Hatters keeper Stuart Moore

The Reading loanee was signed on transfer deadline day last week after Christian Walton was recalled by Brighton and then thrown in against Cheltenham Town a few hours later.

He was culpable for the Robins’ opening goal just five minutes into his debut too, when after having to tip over fellow keeper Scott Brown’s clearance, his weak punch from the resulting corner was converted by Will Boyle.

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On the error so early into his Town career, Moore said: “It was a disappointing start.

“The first thing you do, tipping over a long kick from the keeper, then it’s difficult, it’s one of those things.

“It’s happened, it’s in the past, I look to move on now and keep pushing for the rest of the season.

“You make a mistake, every young keeper is going to make a mistake, but it’s how you learn from it, how you deal with it and get on with it.

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“I like to think I’m quite thick skinned, if I make a mistake, you know what, it does hurt, but you’ve just got to get straight back into the game quickly.

“It’s a difficult position, most keepers when you make mistakes, it ends up in the back of the net.

“If you’re an outfield player you get away with it as you’ve got men behind the ball.”

After what boss Nathan Jones labelled as a ‘whirlwind’ start for the Royals stopper, Moore felt it had been hard making his debut without even a training session with his new team-mates.

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He continued: “It is very difficult. You don’t know any of the players names, you’ve got to very quickly familiarise yourself first of all with the back four and then the rest of the lads.

“The style of play you’ve got to get into very quickly. It’s never ideal.

“You’d like a few sessions beforehand, just something in football that happens sometimes, you’ve got to go with it.”

By the time Luton took the field at Blundell Park on Saturday, Moore had at least had the chance to get to know his the Town squad slightly more and felt the over night stay clearly helped his integration too.

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He said: “It was very nice I’ve had a good couple of days training with the boys, they’re a great bunch of lads.

“I’ve fitted in really well and looking forward to keep progressing with them and getting to know them even more.

“The more time you can spend with the lads the better, having to do a song last night, the initiation, wasn’t the best, but think it well down all right with the lads.

“So the more time I spend with them on and off the pitch, the better relationship’s going to get.”

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Although beaten once by Chris Clements in the 1-1 draw with Grimsby, Moore was satisfied with his first away start.

He added: “Personally I was happy with how the game went. It would have been better had we got the win, would have been nice to get a clean sheet.

“It’s always disappointing to conceded, but a lot better than the other night, so I want to keep going forward and getting better and better.”

Heading to Kenilworth Road for a loan deal was something Moore, who has played just twice for the Reading U23s this team.

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He added: “It’s been something I’ve been looking at for a little while. Due to the situation at Reading with injuries, I’ve ended up on the bench quite a lot this season, which is always nice being involved, but as a goalkeeper you want to be playing football, it’s never ideal sitting on the touchline watching.

“But at some stage of your career you’ve got to do that.

“As soon as the loan came up, I really wanted to come and play football and what better place to do it.”