VIDEO: Owls hero Hooper salutes attacking partners
The striker took his tally to nine goals in his last 10 matches by grabbing a second-half double at St Andrew’s to help Carlos Carvalhal’s side record a 2-1 win.
Hooper, a £3 million capture from Norwich City last month, netted twice in the final 13 minutes after Clayton Donaldson’s opener in first-half injury time had given the Blues the advantage.
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Hide AdHe said: “Once the first goal went in, we were on top and they couldn’t deal with the big man, Atdhe, and Fernando and I working off him.
“The second goal then was always coming. It’s a hard place to come to and it was always going to be a six-pointer but we’re back in sixth position and looking good.”
Coach Lee Bullen praised Hooper’s match-winning contribution, saying: “He has scored a couple of goals from a yard out; I don’t think we have had someone like that since Steve MacLean. He is a poacher extraordinaire.
“His goalscoring track record is second to none whether down here or up in Scotland. He has proved that again against Birmingham. His finishing was excellent. Gary is a very astute signing.
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Hide Ad“He had a little bit of a lean time playing wise at the end of his time at Norwich but I think he has a found a home again. The fans and players love him. He’s such an influential player for a quiet lad. He has adjusted his game from when he was at Scunthorpe.
“He used to play on the shoulder and run the defences the other way. Now he’s coming to link play and is another big part of the jigsaw.”
Glenn Loovens missed out with a groin problem.