The 19-year-old has been thrown into the firing line on a regular basis because of injuries to Darius Vassell, Carlton Cole and Juan Pablo Angel and the departure of Peter Crouch and Marcus Allback.

Moore was relegated to the substitutes’ bench against Steve McClaren’s side after the debacle against Everton but came on to score the decisive second goal.

Barry said: “I am sure the first goal for Luke will take the burden off his shoulders. Any striker who hasn’t scored before will feel like that. Luke has had around 20 appearances now and that will have been playing on his mind.

“But he will certainly get a lot of confidence from that goal and I’m sure Luke will be a better player for it. It is always difficult getting your first goal. It wasn’t a 25-yarder but it will feel like that for Luke and he can go on from here.”

Villa manager David O’Leary said: “I felt I couldn’t expose Luke from the start against Middlesbrough because he was a bit lacking in confidence after the previous week when all 10 outfield players were off colour.

“Luke is a young lad we have had to put in regularly when ideally I would have dipped him in and out of the team to see how he progressed,

“There were big expectations about Luke when I came here and only time will tell if he will make it but, with the kind of club we have here, he will get a chance and I hope the goal does him good.”