Kieffer Moore: Yeovil Town striker 'a brave defender'

Kieffer Moore played as a striker in Yeovil's FA cup defeat against Manchester United

Yeovil Town boss Gary Johnson believes striker Kieffer Moore will develop as a defender, after he filled in at the back in their 1-0 against Bradford.

The 6ft 5ins forward has scored four goals in 18 games this season, but was used as a centre-back as cover for the suspended Ben Nugent.

And the 20-year-old was praised for helping League One's bottom club to their first home win since September.

"It's always a position I felt he could be comfortable with," said Johnson.

Moore was a fitness instructor playing part-time for non-league Dorchester when he was spotted by Yeovil, and he signed his first professional contract in July 2013.

"When lads are young, they want to be strikers because they think they'll be worth more than centre-halves," Johnson told BBC Somerset. "Their mums, dads and agents are probably telling them to be strikers.

"But he's a brave lad when he's at the back. We've done it in training and in pre-season friendlies - albeit against lower opposition.

"We had a few centre-halves we could have brought in, but that would have had to be on loan. This was exactly the right time to bring in Kieffer.

"I could have been saying: 'Sorry I made a mistake, we lost 5-0' but we haven't, and that gamble has come off. We're very proud of Kieffer's performance."

Saturday's victory moved Yeovil to within three points of Leyton Orient in 20th place, immediately above the relegation zone, and ended a run of four league defeats.

"I could have said before the game how massive it was but that would have put everyone under too much pressure," added Johnson.

"Now we've won I can say it was massive, and it really was. You can't be too far adrift and looking at all the other results, it was important."