Wood hat-trick seals Blues win

11 September 2011 18:30

Birmingham leapt out of the npower Championship's bottom three thanks to teenage striker Chris Wood's hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Millwall.

Wood, 19, signed on loan from West Brom in the summer, took his tally to four in two matches with a close-range finish in the 29th minute, a clinical strike from outside the penalty area midway through the second half and a late header.

Millwall, nudged down into 14th place by the Blues' big climb, were not without their own chances, especially in the first period, but Wood's first goal settled Birmingham and his second proved decisive for Chris Hughton's side, who secured their second straight home league win.

City striker Wood forced Millwall goalkeeper David Forde to save his 20-yard shot inside the first 10 seconds and Blues keeper Boaz Myhill then pushed away Hamer Bouazza's free-kick in a lively opening.

It was Birmingham who broke the deadlock. Jean Beausejour slipped the ball inside from the left edge of the penalty area and Wood converted from close range.

Curtis Davies went close to extending the Blues' lead, but headed Beausejour's corner off target as half-time approached.

Millwall's new boy Jay Simpson was then denied an equaliser when his snap-shot from several yards out in the 43rd minute was brilliantly saved by Myhill.

The Blues' killer goal arrived in the 62nd minute and Wood this time showed his potency from outside the area, collecting Adam Rooney's square pass and arrowing a shot into Forde's bottom right-hand corner.

Beausejour swung over another corner in the 68th minute and Davies was again left free to direct his header goalwards, this time seeing his effort come back off the crossbar.

Millwall by this time had been restricted to Simpson's speculative shot from outside the area and although Liam Trotter forced Myhill into another fine save in the closing stages it was too little too late for the Londoners, who conceded a late third when Wood headed home Chris Burke's right-wing cross.

Source: PA