CHRISTMAS CAME to the Reebok Stadium three days early after Wanderers capitalised on some woeful defending from Birmingham City to grab three vital points with three astute finishes.

El-Hadji Diouf opened the scoring in the second-half after the opening period proved to be a frustrating affair - and Nicolas Anelka later grabbed a brace to confirm the victory and give Birmingham some festive Blues.

Andy O'Brien returned to the starting line-up after missing the Manchester City game through sickness. Gary Megson lamented the loss of the Irishman after the defeat at Eastlands, but Wanderers looked calm and assured in their defending against Birmingham thanks to the presence of the former Newcastle United defender.

It was a testament to the back four that Jaaskelainen only had one save to make throughout the contest - and that was from the head of Ivan Campo, who misjudged the flight of a free-kick to direct his header towards his own goal.

But it was the clinical finishing of Wanderers that shone on a bitterly cold afternoon, particularly when Gavin McCann replaced Ivan Campo which allowed Wanderers to move to a 4-4-2 formation.

At half-time the Reebok Stadium had a cloud of frustration hanging heavily over it. Wanderers were the better side, but couldn't find a way past Maik Taylor. The visitors were content to add to the frustrating ambience, with Cameron Jerome often looking a forlorn figure on his own.

Danny Guthrie, yet again putting in a lung-bursting effort throughout, tried his luck with a volley from distance but his shot was always dipping over the cross bar.

After his recent two-game, two-goal streak, Kevin Nolan was always on the look out for a piece of goal action and the Wanderers skipper almost put his side in front just before the half hour mark but could only drill his effort into the sidenetting after Anelka's initial drive deflected into his path.

In their response to try and get a goal, the Blues were hopeless. Jerome and Sebastian Larsson were woefully inaccurate on the two occasions in the first-half when the ball fell sweetly to them.

Campo had a chance to send his team into the interval a goal to the good, but, when he received Diouf's lay-off after the Senegal star robbed Stephen Kelly of possession, the Spaniard hit the ball over Taylor's cross bar.

It wasn't a promising start to the second-half, and Jaaskelainen, who wasn't really required for the majority of the first period, had to be alert to keep out Campo's attempted clearance off Larsson's free-kick.

Megson made his first change just before the hour mark when he brought on the bandaged McCann at the expense of Campo. Anelka and Diouf were paired together up front, with the substitute McCann moving into the middle.

It wasn't long before this alteration bore fruit.

Diouf, who netted his first goal of the season in the rout against Wigan, took advantage of Kelly's lapse of concentration to place the ball beyond Taylor.

Six minutes later another mistake - this time a horrendous howler - from Johann Djourou allowed Anelka to put the result beyond doubt. The on-loan Swiss international attempted to throw the ball to his keeper Taylor. Whether or not he didn't see Anelka lurking nearby, or he had the confidence that the ball had enough pace to reach his colleague, proved to be immaterial. Anelka's physical pace as well as his speed of thought is well renowned. Wanderers' leading scorer intercepted and rounded Taylor for his tenth goal of the campaign.

By now, Wanderers were content to hold on to their two-goal lead and grind down time whenever they had possession.

But, not being a side to look a gift horse in the mouth, they managed to round their afternoon in fine style when Jerome lost possession to Nolan deep inside the Birmingham. The Wanderers' skipper's measured pass is meat and drink to Anelka - and again he had the easiest of chances to complete a double.

The victory sent Wanderers to 14th in the Barclays Premier League - and more importantly adds to their winning momentum at home, a venue where they have won their last three games, netting eight goals and conceding only one in the process.