MARK Viduka's lengthy injury nightmare began at Birmingham on Boxing Day so, some eight months later, it was fitting that his rehabilitation should have started with a match-winning display at St Andrew's.

The striker's first-half brace preceded Franck Queudrue's second-half strike and helped Boro record their first three-point haul of the season courtesy of a comprehensive 3-0 success against a below-par Birmingham.

Perhaps more importantly, it also silenced those who were questioning whether the 29-year-old would ever get back to anything like his peak.

There have been a number of occasions this summer when the Australian striker looked to be on the verge of leaving the Riverside. With his place in the first team threatened by the arrival of £7.5m man Yakubu, the likes of Newcastle and Deportivo La Coruna have worked tirelessly to try to prise the striker out of Steve McClaren's grasp.

But, despite Viduka's catalogue of back and hamstring problems, the Boro hierarchy have stood by him. Last night, their loyalty was rewarded in emphatic fashion.

Making only his second start since his last visit to St Andrew's, he more than justified McClaren's decision to promote him as the replacement for the injured Yakubu.

Three into two will not go when the Nigerian returns at the weekend - Viduka could not have done any more to ensure he is not the odd one out.

James Morrison was also promoted to the starting line-up in place of the rested Gaizka Mendieta last night, as McClaren finally displayed some of the attacking abandon repeatedly urged by the Riverside regulars.

And, in tandem with fellow winger Stewart Downing, the Darlington-born teenager helped to ensure the visitors would dominate from first minute to last.

Morrison was instrumental in Boro's 14th-minute opener but, by then, the Teessiders should already have been a goal to the good.

Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink timed his 11th-minute burst beyond Kenny Cunningham to perfection but, after ghosting onto Queudrue's through ball, the Dutchman dragged his shot beyond Maik Taylor's left-hand post.

That was a lucky escape for a strangely lethargic Blues defence, still smarting from Steve Bruce's blast following Saturday's home defeat to Manchester City, but they were not so fortunate when they went to sleep again shortly after.

This time it was Morrison who profited from Stan Lazaridis' inability to cope with the pace and precision of Boro's counter-attacking. The youngster raced onto Michael Reiziger's well-weighted ball down the line and delivered a deft centre that Viduka turned home with an instinctive first-time finish from eight yards.

Boro's fans have had few opportunities to see Viduka's predatory instincts at first hand - the goal was the former Leeds striker's first since December's brace against Manchester City - but, while his fitness still needs to improve following his lay-off, his eye for goal remains as sharp as ever.

Or at least it does when he does not have time to think about what he is doing. Only Viduka will know how he failed to double the advantage five minutes later when presented with a clea of opportunity.

He had done the hard work - charging down Taylor's clearance on the edge of the area - but, after taking an age to get the ball under control, he dallied even longer with the goal at his mercy, allowing centre-half Matthew Upson to save his goalkeeper's blushes with a superb saving tackle.

Yet if that was profligate from the Aussie, what followed on the stroke of half-time was perfection.

Receiving Queudrue's throw-in with his back to goal, two fine touches allowed Viduka to roll round Cunningham and created the space for him to lash a venomous swerving shot that scorched past a bemused Taylor from the acutest of angles.

Downing and Hasselbaink also sent efforts skidding towards Taylor's goal as Boro, with George Boateng and Ray Parlour providing a solid platform at the base of midfield, repeatedly out-thought their one-dimensional opponents.

Indeed, were it not for Olivier Tebily's long-range effort that whistled into Mark Schwarzer's midriff midway through the opening period, it would have been difficult to have believed that Birmingham's five-man midfield had any intention of attacking at all.

Bruce admitted as much when he introduced Mikael Forssell at the break but, by then, the damage had been done.

Gareth Southgate had to be alert to rob the Finn as he shaped to shoot after the re-start, and the former England centre-half was prominent again as he stole possession from Jiri Jarosik in identical fashion 20 minutes from time.

Those were isolated scares though and, as they continued to press forward, a rampant Middlesbrough stretched further ahead with 18 minutes left.

Downing's floated free-kick caught the Birmingham defence flat-footed again, and an unmarked Queudrue ghosted in at the back post to steer a sliding strike past an exposed Taylor.

Jermaine Pennant rattled the Boro crossbar with a bending free-kick shortly after but, with a composed Southgate at the helm, the visitors' defence remained unbeaten. Birmingham's back four could not say the same, mainly thanks to the vibrancy of Viduka.

Birmingham City 0 - 3 Middlesbrough

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