Bournemouth picked up an important goalless draw with Middlesbrough on Friday to maintain their commanding cushion inside the automatic promotion places.

Scott Parker's Cherries have dropped off massively since the back end of 2021, but after their outstanding start to the season they appear to have built an unassailable lead on the top two chasing pack.

Boro huffed and puffed in looking to make amends for their 1-0 defeat at home to Hull City last weekend, with Luke Daniels replacing Joe Lumley between the sticks.

Here, we have taken a look at three things we clearly learnt about Bournemouth after their 0-0 draw v Middlesbrough...

Rearguard standing firm

While the attacking contingent continues to flatter to deceive, the Cherries have ground out two invaluable clean sheets to pick up draws against play-off chasers Sheffield United and Boro in the last two weeks.

Lloyd Kelly and Nathaniel Phillips' fighting spirit played a huge role in keeping Boro at bay on Friday, the visitors were not at their dynamic best but the intensity was high with the relentless trio of Jonny Howson, Matt Crooks and James Tavernier setting the tone.

End in sight

Nottingham Forest losing 1-0 at Luton Town was an enormous result for the Cherries.

Extending their lead over Steve Cooper's Reds to seven points with the draw at The Vitality Stadium is hugely significant with just six to play in the remainder of the campaign.

The Cherries' run-in is one of the tougher ones in the division, but with the games in hand they have on the teams around them, outside of Forest, Scott Parker's men can afford to slip up a few times and should still hold down second place.

Toothless attack persists

The Cherries have now drawn a blank in their last three on the trot.

The eye-catching business they conducted on deadline day in January seems to have backfired, keeping things simple with the likes of Jaidon Anthony earning regular minutes saw Bournemouth play their best attacking football in the early knockings of the campaign.

Todd Cantwell was very uninspiring against Boro, leaving the club hierarchy pondering their option to buy clause in his loan deal from Norwich City.