BOSS Scott Parker heaped praise on his side's youngsters for standing up to the physical battle and emerging with a valuable point from their trip to Sheffield United.

Cherries rode their luck at times, but took a share of the spoils with a 0-0 draw at Bramall Lane.

That result, coupled with other scores across the league, saw Cherries' advantage over third-placed Huddersfield Town shrink to four points, although Parker's men have played two fewer games than the Terriers.

However, Nottingham Forest in fourth are now just six points behind Cherries, with both sides having seven games to play, including one against each other at Vitality Stadium on May 2.

Last week was tough for Cherries, losing 2-0 at West Brom on Wednesday before the quick turnaround to Saturday's early kick-off at Sheffield United.

Asked what he worked on with the squad between the two fixtures, Parker explained: "The one thing was we needed to get the team in the best physical place we could.

"I also wanted the team to understand what you need to bring at a place like this (Bramall Lane). Like I keep saying, this is a very, very tough stadium to come to. Good quality in their team.

"This is a team that has just been relegated last year from the Premier League, all that comes with, a squad of players that have been occupying and around the Premier League last year.

"The season before was incredible how well they did in the Premier League. And added to that is the intensity of what this stadium can bring and I felt that."

He continued: "This is a young side we have here. People have lost sight or people see us second in the league and (think) we’ve done incredibly well, which we have. Mark Travers, Jordan Zemura, Jaidon Anthony, (Siriki) Dembele are young players.

"These boys were in a category three academy, only last year, playing away at wherever they were playing. And now all of a sudden for the first time they are in this environment.

"I’m proud of where the team are, where they’ve come and I’m proud of what they showed (on Saturday).

"Because there were times where you just need to stand up, you need to be a man out there, see the physicality of this game, a lot of fouls in the game. It was a physical game, which is exactly how it is. I’m very pleased with that overall."

Five players were booked during the course of the contest, with 32 fouls in total awarded by referee Dean Whitestone, during an, at times, tetchy afternoon.

Discussing the high foul count, Parker said: "It disrupted the game, definitely.

"I thought first half certainly there was a lot of fouls in the game. It was physical.

"I’m the last person to moan about physicality. I spent 20 years playing this game and that was exactly what I was really, the physicality of the game and trying to assert myself on an opposition.

"That’s what I want my team to do and that’s why Sheffield United are a very good side.

"I thought the game first half was disrupted by loads of fouls.

"Maybe that’s the edginess of the game - two top teams wanting to fight it out.

"I thought it was brilliant really. I was disappointed in certain moments, but that’s part and parcel of the game really."

Cherries return to action at Vitality Stadium on Friday, hosting Middlesbrough (3pm).