Jayden Stockley has had a stellar week for Exeter City.
Since joining the Grecians on loan from Bournemouth last week, the 22-year-old Englishman has found the net three times in two appearances, following a stint with Portsmouth earlier in the campaign.
On the weekend, Stockley helped secure City a valuable three points with a first-half brace against Leyton Orient, a club where Stockley served a loan spell in 2013, to give the visitors a 3-2 win at Brisbane Road.
After being left open by a slack Orient defence to head home an equaliser for Exeter in the 14th minute, Stockley latched on to Danny Butterfield's inch-perfect cross, neatly slotting home with a side footed volley in the 32nd minute after Tom Nichols had given his side the lead nine minutes earlier.
Grecians boss Paul Tisdale had nothing but praise for Stockley's performance on the weekend.
"It's easy to look at Jayden's three goals, but what was more, but what was more productive for our team was that he occupied their defenders. He's a mobile, all-action centre forward, and his contribution to the team's fluidity in the first half was crucial. He had a very good game."
If Tisdale's comments are anything to go by, Exeter could certainly use Stockley's abilities in front of goal beyond his loan spell, which finishes at the end of the season.
Unfortunately for Stockley, the most consistent aspect of his short career so far, has been inconsistency.
After making his debut as a 15-year-old for Bournemouth in 2009, the 6ft 2 forward is currently on his ninth different loan spell. In six years with the Cherries, he has appeared a mere 26 times, scoring only twice across all competitions.
His most successful spell on loan came in the 2012-2013 season with non-league side Woking, where his potential in front of goal became apparent, by netting 14 times in 22 appearances.
Stockley's stint at Woking stands out amongst his other pit stops, not just for his impressive scoring record - it is the only time he has spent longer than six months on loan.
The man himself knows how important it is to find consistency, commenting after his debut goal against Morecambe last week: "I have been on a few loans now and I just want to find somewhere where I'm a bit more settled and somewhere that suits the way I play."
To fulfil his potential, Stockley must be given time to accustom himself to new surroundings. It is baffling that a young man has spent nine spells in a space of six years.
Whether this has been caused from a lack of interest from other clubs or Bournemouth's reluctance to let their prospect go, it is imperative that Stockley finds himself a permanent home. He has to build chemistry with teammates and gain confidence from his coaches, to prove that he is able to perform week in, week out.
Whether that home will be at Exeter remains to be seen, but if his current form continues it would be a mistake by the Grecians not to secure a permanent move for the Cherries youngster.
REPORT: The Grecians complete the double over @leytonorientfc: https://t.co/urby2rTXK3#ECFCpic.twitter.com/klFP0zh3wz
— Exeter City FC (@OfficialECFC) January 16, 2016Check out Stockley's goals at 0:34 and 1:15 below -
By Andrew Maclean
