'Superb' Wareham 'did Exeter number nine shirt proud'
Jayden Wareham is the first player to wear Exeter City's number nine shirt since Jay Stansfield in the 2022-23 season
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Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell has hailed Jayden Wareham's goalscoring home debut as a "superb" performance.
The 22-year-old, who was a summer signing from Reading, scored City's third goal having set up the first in Saturday's 4-1 win over Blackpool.
The performance was even more poignant, coming the day before the 15th anniversary of the death of former Exeter striker Adam Stansfield.
Wareham became just the third player to wear Exeter's number nine shirt since Stansfield's death from cancer in 2010 and the first since his son Jay wore the number during a loan spell three years ago.
"I think the goal was a bonus, I think the performance was superb," Caldwell told BBC Radio Devon.
"How he led the line, how he held the ball up, the work he put in for the team in and out of possession he was a tireless runner.
"The big thing I said to him when the the discussions started about getting the shirt was he said he wants it, as a number nine scores goals.
"I said 'I agree, but if you take this shirt then you'll be judged on your work rate and the way you play for the team' and I think he did the number proud."
Sonny Cox scored for Exeter City for the first time since 1 March
There was also a rare goal for homegrown striker Sonny Cox as he came off the bench to get the fourth goal in the last minute of the win at St James Park.
It was Cox's first goal for City since the start of March and Caldwell says it capped off an impressive few weeks for the 20-year-old.
"I think Sonny's been superb in pre-season, a little bit unlucky not to to be in the team today," Caldwell said.
"But he's a really good player to have on the bench to come on, whether it's a nine or a 10, he's fantastic out of possession and again delighted for him.
"That's the minimum, the goal then becomes a little bonus for him and will do his confidence really good, but he's in a very good place as well and hopefully he can kick on from that."