Rovers returned to winning ways in the Championship despite a late scare against Lancashire rivals Preston North End.
More than 21,000 supporters were in attendance at Ewood Park as John Eustace’s side secured a big three points to climb back into the play-off places.
Makhtar Gueye and Todd Cantwell struck either side of half time, with Brad Potts pulling one back at the death.
Eustace made two changes from the side that lost at Bristol City, with Lewis Travis and Owen Beck returning to the starting line-up.
Harry Leonard missed out through injury and 17-year-old Frank Vare made the squad for the first time.
North End also made a couple of changes from their win against Middlesbrough, with Ryan Ledson and Emil Riis replacing Stefan Thordarson and Milutin Osmajic.
Ahead of kick-off, Augustus Kargbo was unveiled as Rovers’ newest signing. Kargbo joins from Italian club Cesena and has put pen to paper over a deal until June 2027 at Ewood Park.
The 25-year-old becomes the club’s third signing of the window after Adam Forshaw and Dion Sanderson.
The first chance of the game fell to Riis, who couldn’t keep his strike down after he was teed up by Jordan Storey.
Beck then had a big chance to put Rovers in front but failed to hit the target after a clever flick-on by Andi Weimann.
Jeyden Meghoma’s cross was cleared to Ledson on the edge of the area, but he dragged a shot wide of the near post.
The breakthrough came six minutes before the break when Dolan, who had looked lively throughout the first half, produced a dangerous cross and Gueye made no mistake with a clinical header.
Dom Hyam had a chance to double the lead early in the second half but failed to test Freddie Woodman after getting on the end of a corner.
At the other end, Ali McCann should have done better with a header from Sam Greenwood’s free kick.
North End continued to search for an equaliser and Riis nodded a corner into the path of Greenwood, who volleyed over the bar.
It felt like the next goal would be vital, and the key moment came when Jack Whatmough caught Hyam in the box after the defender had rose highest to win a header.
Substitute Cantwell kept his cool to send Woodman the wrong way from 12 yards and give Rovers some breathing room with 12 minutes to go.
Riis could have pulled one back moments later but blazed over after he was picked out by Ched Evans.
Evans also had a chance to halve the deficit after a clever touch in the box but could only find the side netting.
Rovers were undone by a set-play in the final stages and Riis had the ball in the net, but the offside flag came to their rescue.
The visitors did pull one back in the third minute of stoppage time when Potts was allowed to bring down a cross and managed to squeeze a shot past Aynsley Pears from an angle.
There was more drama before the final whistle as a North End penalty shout was waved away after Gueye challenged Potts for a header in the box, but Rovers managed to get over the line.
