GARY Cahill and Lloyd Kelly were imperious for Scott Parker’s Cherries in the narrow victory at Cardiff City, withstanding some periods of physical onslaught throughout.

Kelly skippered the side once again in Steve Cook’s absence but benefitted from being alongside the experience of Champions League winner Cahill – who Parker thinks will help Kelly improve the physical side of his game.

Cahill won an enormous 12 aerial duels as the Bluebirds targeted the likes of Welsh international Kieffer Moore in the Cherries area, and they were left wanting by the end as the two secured a second clean sheet in three as a pairing.

Asked about Kelly’s performance, Parker responded: “Yeah I thought the way that him and Gaz worked was very good, helping with his game at times is that physicality side.

“He is a Rolls Royce with the ball and covering space he’s right up there, a top, top player.

“What he needs to improve is the other side of it, that physicality, the challenges, and again I was very, very pleased with him today.”

Cherries had to ride a bit of a storm in the first ten minutes, with Cahill making three crucial blocks to prevent deliveries from wide reaching the frontmen in the middle – including a square from Leandro Bacuna that, if connected with, could easily have resulted in an early opening.

Parker added: “A bit of a hectic start but I thought we started well actually, but of course the pressure, they are going to bring that for periods, his (Gary Cahill) understanding of the position was critical.”