CHERRIES managed to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to the Premier League's bottom side late on at Vitality Stadium.

Goals from Gustavo Hamer and Jack Robinson had given the away side an unlikely 2-0 lead, Cherries' misery compounded by a missed Dominic Solanke penalty and a further strike controversially chalked off for handball.

Substitute Dango Ouattara pulled one back, before setting up the equaliser for fellow sub Enes Unal.

Sheffield United arrived on the south coast as the division’s worst day-trippers, with just one win on their travels in the Premier League.

Head coach Andoni Iraola made just the one change to the side 2-0 winners over Burnley last time out, Chris Mepham replacing the injured Marcos Senesi.

In the first half the hosts frequently found success releasing Justin Kluivert behind the Sheffield United backline.

The Dutchman used his pace to burst in behind and cut back to Marcus Tavernier, who miscued and misfired.

Cherries’ best chance of the half would come from 12 yards out.

Receiving the ball with his back to goal, Solanke would not have expected Blades midfielder Tom Davies to slide in from behind, felling the Cherries striker and giving away a penalty.

The result of the spot kick was also unexpected, Solanke slipping as he steered his penalty over the bar, his shocked expression shared by most in the crowd.

There were even more bemused faces when Cherries found themselves behind on 28 minutes.

Blades managed to secure possession and surge upfield, overrunning the Cherries defence. Right-back Jayden Bogle found space inside the area, drawing a fine stop out of Neto.

However, the rebound fell perfectly for Gustavo Hamer to power home.

At the other end Antoine Semenyo was a frequent threat, but found Ivo Grbic his equal in the Blades’ goal.

A flicked header at the near post was well stopped by the Croat heading towards the end of the first half.

Kluivert almost caught the goalie out as well, Grbic well outside his area as he tried to thwart the Cherries attacker.

However, Kluivert could only fire straight at Grbic.

At the break, Iraola introduced Ouattara in place of Milos Kerkez, the winger again moonlighting at left-back.

Despite their relative control of the game, Cherries would find themselves two goals behind shortly after the hour mark.

A Sheffield United corner went straight down the throat of Cherries keeper Neto, who bizarrely decided to punch rather than claim.

His clearance was powder-puff, only serving to send the ball into the back of teammate Solanke.

The loose ball caused chaos in the box, which was seized by Blades’ skipper Robinson.

Neto attempted to claw the ball away, but goal line technology proved that it had already crossed the line.

Solanke thought he had halved the deficit almost immediately when he pounced on Robinson’s poor clearance and fired past Grbic, but a lengthy VAR check determined that the ball had hit the forward’s arm, ruling the goal out.

But Cherries came again.

A corner was whipped into the near post, where substitute Ouattara rose highest to nod home and give the hosts hope.

Constantly hemming the away side into their own half, Cherries searched for an equaliser.

Multiple corners and crosses in the box were just about being dealt with – until stoppage time.

Sub Unal arrived at the back post to meet a corner with his head.

His initial effort was cleared off the line, but the Turk was on hand to fire home the rebound and restore parity.

Cherries: Neto; Smith (Scott, 74), Mepham, Zabarnyi, Kerkez (Ouattara, h-t); Christie (Billing, 74), Cook; Semenyo, Kluivert (Unal, 62), Tavernier (Sinisterra, 62); Solanke.

Unused subs: Kinsey, Adams, Faivre, Travers (g/k).

Booked: Kerkez, Smith, Mepham.

Sheffield United: Grobic; Baldock, Trusty, Robinson; Bogle (Ahmedhodzic, 69), Davies (de Souza, h-t), Hamer, Arblaster (Norwood, 80), Osborn; Brereton Diaz (Osula, 80), McBurnie (McAtee, 69).

Unused subs: Larouci, Curtis, Brooks, Foderingham (g/k),

Booked: Hamer, McBurnie, Grbic, Brereton Diaz, Norwood.