MARC Pugh put the finishing touches to another Cherries victory on the road before dedicating the win to Jeff Mostyn and Steve Sly.

Vice-chairman Mostyn and director Sly last week agreed a deal to sell their shares in the club, with a consortium fronted by Russian businessman Maxim Demin understood to be waiting in the wings.

The deal, which could be revealed in more detail by the club as soon as today, brings to an end Mostyn and Sly’s four-and-a-half-year love affair with Cherries.

The pair, who had purchased the club in 2007, tasted relegation to League Two in 2008, the same year Mostyn placed the club in administration.

But just two years later, the duo were celebrating at Burton Albion as Eddie Howe masterminded Cherries’ epic promotion back to League One.

Mostyn and Sly, a passionate Cherries fan, were both at Preston North End on Saturday to see Cherries come from behind to seal an impressive 3-1 win – their sixth game unbeaten on the road but their first victory in seven league games.

And Pugh, who scored Cherries’ third goal at Deepdale, told the Echo: “That win was for Jeff Mostyn and Steve Sly.

“I think, and I hope, Jeff and Steve will be staying around the club because they love it. I get on so well with them and they are really top men. They have supported the club through thick and thin, win, lose or draw.

“They are always in the dressing room supporting us whatever the result and they are a great part of this football club. If they do leave, they will be hugely missed. I will certainly miss them because ever since I have been at this club, they have been so supportive of me. I love them to bits.”

Second-half goals from Pugh, Wes Thomas and Scott Malone cancelled out Juvhel Tsoumou’s first-half opener for North End, as Cherries climbed out of the bottom four in League One.

Pugh added: “I thought the lads, from one to 11, were outstanding and we fully deserved the win.

“We didn’t really get going as a team in the first half, but they didn’t really look like scoring until they did.

“In the second half, though, we really turned it around and put them under massive pressure. We really deserved it.”