CHERRIES were held to their first home stalemate of the season by Blackburn Rovers as visiting goalkeeper Jason Steele played a starring role in the shutout.

Steele pulled off two stunning second-half saves as Eddie Howe’s men could only take a point following defeats for top two Derby and Middlesbrough.

The hosts were also thwarted by the woodwork when Yann Kermorgant’s header came back off the crossbar in the second half.

Harry Arter was recalled to the Cherries starting line-up as boss Eddie Howe made four changes following the midweek defeat at Nottingham Forest.

The midfielder, who had been forced to sit out the past two games due to suspension, was drafted in with Charlie Daniels, Marc Pugh and Yann Kermorgant.

Matt Ritchie, Shaun MacDonald, Brett Pitman and Adam Smith dropped to the bench, while Rovers made three changes, with Jordan Rhodes named among their substitutes.

A pile-up on the Wessex Way at lunchtime, which resulted in traffic chaos on the roads around Dean Court, saw kick-off delayed by 30 minutes.

Cherries had a swirling wind against them in the first half with the elements contributing to both teams finding chances hard to come by.

Marc Pugh went close to drawing first blood for Cherries, only to see his seventh-minute effort from close range superbly parried by Rovers goalkeeper Jason Steele.

Rovers’ first shooting opportunity arrived after 21 minutes but Chris Taylor’s wayward strike failed to trouble Cherries goalkeeper Artur Boruc as it trickled past the post.

Arter tried his luck from distance after 37 minutes, but his speculative 30-yarder sailed harmlessly wide of the upright.

And on the stroke of half-time, Ben Marshall climbed at the far post to meet a hanging cross from Adam Henley, only to head straight into the hands of Boruc.

Cherries appealed in vain for a penalty after Callum Wilson appeared to have been shoved in the back as he looked to head home a Pugh cross at the start of the second half.

Arter picked up his 11th booking for the season for a challenge on Taylor before Rudy Gestede cleared the danger after Kermorgant had met Ryan Fraser’s free-kick.

A sweeping move ended with Pugh firing tamely into the arms of Steele before Kermorgant was denied by a stunning save from the Rovers goalkeeper.

The Frenchman rose above the visitors’ defence to get on the end of a Daniels cross, only to see his header pushed wide by Steele after 75 minutes.

Kermorgant was again denied when his thumping header from a Simon Francis cross came back off the crossbar six minutes from time.

Steele then threw himself full length to his right to keep out Arter’s piledriver before Tom Cairney’s shot flew narrowly wide as Rovers almost nicked it at the death.

Cherries: Boruc, Francis, Cook, Elphick, Daniels, Fraser, Arter, Surman, Pugh (Ritchie, 56), Wilson (Rantie, 84), Kermorgant.

Unused subs: Pitman, Ward, MacDonald, Smith, Camp (g/k).

Booked: Arter.

Rovers: Steele, Henley, Kilgallon, Baptiste, Olsson, Marshall (Cairney, 79), Spearing (Williamson, 72), Evans, Conway, Taylor (Rhodes, 72), Gestede.

Unused subs: Dunn, Brown, Spurr, Eastwood (g/k).

Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire).

Attendance: 10,196 (including 756 away supporters).