CENTRE-HALF Steve Cook declared that the fearsome form of strike partners Yann Kermorgant and Lewis Grabban had added extra impetus to Cherries’ end-of-season charge.

Kermorgant has plundered nine goals from the nine Championship fixtures he has started alongside top-scorer Grabban, who has weighed in with another seven.

Their prolific return helped Cherries to a run of nine victories in 14 Championship outings since the start of March, form which saw the Dean Court outfit climb from 17th place up to their current position of ninth and guaranteed the club’s highest-ever Football League finish.

And with the deadly duo still on song during Saturday’s 4-1 success over Nottingham Forest, Cook said the confidence of their goalscoring exploits had caused confidence to spread through the whole side.

Cook told the Daily Echo: “It helps to have strikers in such good form and Grabbs and Yann have linked up so well. Their goals have allowed everyone to play with confidence and we have improved all over the pitch.

“In the past, we saw a few chances go begging and it made everyone very aware that the opposition could nick it with one half-chance, but that has totally changed now.

“We are taking our chances and that eases things for the defenders, it just makes everyone that bit more relaxed and confident on the ball, it has a positive impact on everyone in the team.”