MATCHWINNER Siriki Dembele made sure to share the credit after helping Cherries defeat Blackpool 2-1 – heaping the praise on goalkeeper Mark Travers for his heroics in between the sticks.

Whilst Irish international Travers could do nothing about Josh Bowler’s wonderstrike for the opener, the Cherries academy graduate kept his side in the game with an array of fine stops.

That allowed substitute Jamal Lowe to be able to restore parity four minutes from time, before Dembele popped up in the 95th minute with what proved to be the deciding goal.

Shortly after Blackpool’s goal, Travers somehow managed to divert another Bowler strike not only away from goal, but also away from the path of Jerry Yates, who would have had an easy tap in to make it two.

Travers’ finest two stops came in the second half, with the 22-year-old again denying Bowler. The disbelief was evident on the Blackpool winger’s face as Travers leaped and stretched to tip the rifled shot over the bar.

Arguably the best save saw Travers spread himself wide to somehow deny a Gary Medine header at point-blank range, ensuring that Cherries were still in with a shout of a result as they entered the final five minutes.

Dembele revealed that he was grateful for his goalkeeper’s saving interventions, believing that if Blackpool had grabbed a second, the game would have ended as a contest.

Speaking after the Blackpool game, Dembele told the Daily Echo: “Oh my days!

“There was one (save), I think if that went in, I think the game would have been over.

“But what a save - not even what a save - he made some in the first half and in the second half and he kept us in the game big time. I can't lie.”

Dembele’s fellow deadline day signing Freddie Woodman was drafted in from Newcastle to add competition for the starting spot in goal, but Travers has continued to impress since the arrival of another goalkeeper.Manager Scott Parker will still have the headache of choosing a shotstopper for Friday’s fixture with Nottingham Forest.

Travers has recorded 12 cleansheets in 29 Championship fixtures this season, helping his side to their current position of second in the league table.

Cherries have now picked up 58 points from 30 matches, putting them five points clear of Blackburn in third place – with the additional advantage of two games in hand on the Lancashire outfit.