RESOLUTE Rovers became the first side to prevent the Cherries from scoring at home for the first time since March as they kept their first clean sheet of the year.

After 12 straight games without a shutout Gary Bowyer’s organised and hard-working side got the point their committed performance deserved at a windswept Goldsands Stadium.

With captain Grant Hanley and Shane Duffy ruled out through injury stand-in skipper Matt Kilgallon and Alex Baptiste were outstanding at centre-back.

And, when Bournemouth did manage to break through the duo, goalkeeper Jason Steele made three saves, two of them superb.

Rovers also had their chances, particularly in an open second half, when both teams pushed for the win.

The draw stretched the Cherries’ winless run to five matches but it did move them within three points of the automatic promotion places.

Rovers slipped to 11th as a result of their 10th straight away league game without a win but it did move them within 14 points off the play-offs ahead of the midweek trip to Sheffield Wednesday.

Kick-off was delayed by half-an-hour after a five-vehicle accident on one of the main roads leading to the ground.

When the action got under way it was Bournemouth who showed first with Marc Pugh forcing a fine finger-tip save stop from Steele after Callum Wilson saw a shot blocked.

The closest Rovers came in the first 20 minutes was when Chris Taylor, operating in the hole behind lone frontman Rudy Gestede, made space for himself in the box only to then drag his shot wide.

But the visitors ended a scrappy first half, which was not helped by the conditions, the stronger.

And, after the tireless Gestede failed to get a telling touch to a Craig Conway corner, Ben Marshall headed straight at Artur Boruc after the impressive Adam Henley dug out a cross from the byline.

The hosts could have been reduced to 10 men two minutes after the break when a late tackle from Harry Arter left Taylor writhing in agony.

But referee Simon Hooper let Arter off with a yellow card.

The Cherries went on to enjoy a sustained spell of pressure after the flashpoint but, despite a couple of balls into the box troubling Steele, they were unable to make it pay.

Then Rovers, roared on by 756 supporters who did not stop singing from first whistle to last, had an excellent opportunity.

A corner was cleared as far as Jay Spearing and he helped the ball on to midfield-partner Corry Evans.

He had plenty of bodies in front of him but he should have done better than drag his 18-yard effort well wide.

Rovers boss Bowyer, sensing victory, threw on Jordan Rhodes as well as Lee Williamson for Taylor and Spearing.

But, within minutes of their arrival, Bournemouth would have gone in front had it not been for Steele, who did brilliantly to deny Yann Kermorgant, whose header from a Charlie Daniels cross was looping in.

Kermorgant went closer still in the 83rd minute, when he headed a Simon Francis cross on to the bar, before Steele got down smartly to push aside a stinging drive from Arter.

But it was Rovers who finished on the front foot and substitute Tom Cairney took a pass from Baptiste and drove at the Cherries defence before firing just wide from 20 yards.

Then Rhodes stood up a cross for Gestede to glance three yards wide.

Bournemouth: Boruc, Daniels, Elphick, Cook, Francis, Pugh (Ritchie 56), Surman, Arter, Fraser, Kermorgant, Wilson (Rantie 84). Subs not used: Camp, Ward, Smith, MacDonald, Pitman.

Booked: Arter.

Rovers: Steele, Henley, Baptiste, Kilgallon, Olsson, Taylor (Rhodes 73), Evans, Spearing (Williamson 73), Conway, Marshall (Cairney 79), Gestede. Subs not used: Eastwood, Spurr, Dunn, Brown.

Attendance: 10,196 (756 away).

Referee: Simon Hooper.