Dolan earns Blackburn victory against Blackpool

Tyrhys Dolan struck the only goal to lift Blackburn into fourth place in the Championship with victory against struggling Blackpool.

Substitute Tyler Morton could have sealed victory, but chipped wide of goal with just the Seasiders' keeper to beat.

Blackpool's best chance fell to Josh Bowler, who screwed his shot over as the visitors, who remain 23rd, slid to a fourth straight away defeat.

Rovers, who were missing top scorer Ben Brereton Diaz because of a hamstring injury, began brightly without creating any clear opportunities in the opening 25 minutes.

But Dolan then tested Chris Maxwell, latching onto a ball from Sorba Thomas and cutting in from the left flank to unleash a curling effort that the goalkeeper did well to tip over at full stretch.

That earned Blackpool only a brief respite as Thomas collected a crossfield pass and again fed Dolan, who wrapped his right foot around the ball and dispatched it first time into the corner of the net.

The Seasiders created little in response, aside from a hopeful attempt that Ian Poveda fired over from distance late in the first half.

Blackburn should have extended their advantage after the restart, with Joe Rankin-Costello heading over and Sammie Szmodics forcing another save from Maxwell.

Mick McCarthy shuffled the visitors' pack and sent on Bowler, who might have levelled when Dominic Thompson's cross found its way through, but the substitute miscued high and wide.

At the other end, Morton squandered an opportunity to wrap up the points when he ran on to Callum Brittain's through ball and dinked it over Maxwell, but beyond the far post.

The visitors applied pressure during the closing stages, but could not find a way through as Blackburn held on.