Newmarket Town manager Michael Shinn delighted to beat off competition in race to sign James Moore from Dereham Town
Manager Michael Shinn has revealed that Newmarket Town fought off competition from other clubs to sign James Moore.
The Jockeys boss had been in the market for a new centre-forward following the recent departures of leading goalscorer Josh Lee and Jose Santa de la Paz to Maldon & Tiptree and Ipswich Wanderers respectively.
Seventeen-year-old Moore was his top target for the position, with Shinn well aware of the striker’s capabilities after he scored twice against Newmarket last season while on the books of Downham Town.
Moore moved to Dereham Town during the summer, but after finding the back of the net on eight occasions for the Magpies, he has now made the jump up a level to join Shinn’s side.
“He’s tenacious, he’s got an edge and he’s got a desire to score goals,” said Shinn. “He’s at a good age where he wants to learn and he wants to improve.
“We’ve done really well to get him over the line when two or three other clubs were interested. We’re really, really pleased to have got him in.
“He can work well off Stan (Leech) in a partnership and he could even lead the line himself if we needed it.
“With losing the pace at the top end of the pitch that we did with Josh and Jose going, it was important that was something that we found in the next player that came in. He certainly provides that – and much more.”
The teenager wasted little time in opening his goalscoring account for Newmarket when he marked his debut on Tuesday night by converting a penalty in the 3-1 win over Soham Town Rangers in the Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup.
It was an all-round display from Moore, who alongside his goal, held the ball up well and worked tirelessly out of possession.
Shinn added: “He’s had interest in clubs from the Football League over the last 18 months and there’s no reason why he can’t achieve that with the raw attributes that he’s got and his willingness to learn.
“He’s only 17, people probably forget that. He’s nowhere near the finished article, but when we signed Josh Lee a year and a half ago, he wasn’t the finished article either.
“Josh went on to do really well in the way we played and I’m sure James will do the same.”
After booking their place in the semi-finals of the county cup on Tuesday night, Moore and his new team-mates will switch their focus back to the Isthmian League North Division on Saturday when they play host to promotion-hunting Brentwood Town (3pm).
Newmarket, who saw last weekend’s scheduled trip to Sporting Bengal United postponed due to Storm Darragh, are five points from safety following a run of just one victory from their last nine league outings.
Visiting Brentwood, meanwhile, are in the play-off places after Tuesday night’s 1-0 victory at Cambridge City.
