Birmingham City 3 Millwall 0

IF CHRIS Wood was brought in at Birmingham City as a stopgap, then we’d better start redefining the meaning of the word.

A hat-trick, taking his goal tally to five in three games, was the eye-catching feature of the kind of victory Blues so needed.

They were good, striker’s finishes, too and even if Wood still has some rough edges to polish, he’s a player on the rise – and one worth his place in the team on merit.

As forwards left in the summer and injury claimed Marlon King, Nikola Zigic and Cameron Jerome, Wood was summoned as an emergency from Albion on loan a day before the campaign got underway.

He had shown up well on loan to Brighton & Hove Albion, but this was a different proposition altogether, given the seismic changes at Blues and the responsibility thrust on a 19-year-old’s shoulders.

Yet Wood has seized the opportunity, both in domestic action and European competition.

Come November, Blues will have to say goodbye to Wood until the winter transfer window opens in the New Year.

And if he carries on in this vein, Chris Hughton will then be twisting Roy Hodgson’s arm for an agreement over the Kiwi that lasts a little longer.

Had Alex McLeish not walked out then Danny Koevermans would have followed through on his verbal commitment to join Blues on a Bosman from PSV Eindhoven.

Instead he went to Toronto and Wood’s pathway from the Hawthorns to St Andrew’s opened up.

Funny how things turn out, isn’t it?

The pathway to Blues victory and Wood’s treble opened up via a gorgeous pass behind the full-back by Morgaro Gomis to Jean Beausejour in the 29th minute.

Wood ushered his cross in, with a deflection from a defender’s lunge spooning it beyond David Forde.

The goal settled Blues as Millwall bristled with intent and could have taken control of the game by then.

Liam Feeney cracked a rising shot from the left that was travelling at a fair old rate of knots but Boaz Myhill got his fingertips there to touch it onto the post.

It was a big moment for Myhill, who was faultless all afternoon, and Blues.

Ten minutes later Wood scored and Blues then went about doing their jobs with purpose and patience.

In the second half, Blues became more authoritative and the pockets of quality in their play were telling as the Lions were forced into losing their way a little.

Wood’s second goal came in the 62nd minute, a blast into the bottom corner after Adam Rooney held the ball in, nudged it off and created space.

Curtis Davies hit the underside of the crossbar with a header from a corner and with King on for his debut, Blues added another difficult customer, and someone with the nous and presence to help them see matters through.

King’s sumptuous lay-off to Chris Burke started a swift counter attack that enabled Wood to leap and glance in the hat-trick goal.