IT HAS been a weekend of celebration for Kieffer Moore.
The Welsh international marked his Premier League debut with a towering header against Aston Villa, helping Cherries to a 2-0 win in his first start for the club.
And today, he celebrates turning 30 years old. The Torquay-born frontman’s rise from non-league to the professional game has been well documented, but the journey reached a new peak on Saturday.
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Moore has now netted in five of England's top six tiers, bypassing League Two in his journey to the top.
Reflecting on making a goalscoring start to his Premier League career, Moore told the Daily Echo: “I'm obviously thrilled.
“It's a massive achievement for me personally. And, you know, to cap it all off with a goal is something special.”
Moore did not start either of Cherries’ two pre-season friendlies, with his inclusion in the starting XI coming as somewhat of a surprise to supporters in attendance.
However, Scott Parker’s decision to deploy Moore as a focal point of Cherries’ attack paid dividends, with the Welshman bullying Villa’s backline.
One for @thesameoldfew - when was the last time two former Dorchester Town players faced each other in a Premier League game? #afcb
— Jack Tanner 🏴 (@EchoSportJack) August 7, 2022
📸 @RichardCrease pic.twitter.com/tyHBOWynVs
The former Dorchester Town and Cardiff man revealed that the plan had been hatched earlier on into the week, with head coach Parker working to bring the best out of Moore.
“It’s been a build up throughout the week,” mentioned Moore.
“Working on shape and working on phases of play.
"So, yeah, kind of knew from maybe halfway through the week, beginning of the week.
"I've obviously had a lot of time to think about what I wanted to bring and what the gaffer wants me to bring to the team.
"So I'm very grateful for the opportunity and feel like I took it with both hands.”
After a taste of the biggest stages at the Euros two summers ago, Moore feels he is at the peak of his powers.
“Obviously I turn 30 on Monday, so I’m looking forward to that,” he continued.
“I feel this is the fittest, strongest I've been for a long time.
"I'm expecting a lot from myself this season and it's no different than any other season, but I feel good in myself.
“I feel like I've played some good football. Long may that continue.”
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