Rovers’ winless run against Burnley continued as Zian Flemming nodded home the only goal in a feisty East Lancashire derby at Ewood Park.

Bashir Humphreys picked out Flemming in the middle with a pinpoint cross and the attacker made no mistake with a clinical finish past Aynsley Pears.

There was plenty of endeavour from Rovers as they searched for a leveller, with Lewis Baker going closest.

But John Eustace’s men ultimately couldn’t find a way past the tightest defence in the division and the Clarets claimed the bragging rights.

Rovers made three changes from the draw at Leeds. Todd Cantwell returned from illness to make the starting line-up, with Amario Cozier-Duberry and Makhtar Gueye also coming into the side while Yuki Ohashi missed out through injury.

Burnley also made three changes from their stalemate against Stoke, with Bashir Humphreys, Josh Laurent and Flemming returning. Ashley Barnes was named on the bench following his shock return from Norwich.

Ewood Park was booming as the players emerged from the tunnel, with home supporters packed into the Blackburn End upper tier for the first time in more than five years.

The opening 45 minutes were cagey, as is often the case on derby day, with neither side really finding their rhythm.

Cozier-Duberry had the only real attempt on goal, cutting in from the left and seeing a low drive deflected wide of the near post.

It felt like the game needed a goal to burst into life and that was exactly what happened after Flemming found a breakthrough.

Danny Batth couldn’t quite turn home from close range after a chaotic scramble in the Burnley box as Rovers searched for an equaliser.

Sondre Tronstad also saw an effort deflected wide before Callum Brittain sent a strike over the bar from the resulting corner.

Eustace turned to the bench in a bid to get back on level terms, with Andi Weimann and Harry Leonard joining the fray.

But it was Burnley who had the next chance, with Jaidon Anthony stinging the palms of Pears from the edge of the area.

The end-to-end nature continued, with Baker glancing a header wide after getting on the end of Cantwell’s delivery.

Eustace made a couple more changes, with John Buckley and Joe Rankin-Costello both introduced for the final stages, but Burnley stood firm to ensure a happy return down the M65.

Rovers: Pears; Brittain, Hyam, Batth, Beck; Tronstad, Baker (Buckley 82); Cozier-Duberry (Weimann 75), Cantwell, Dolan (Rankin-Costello 82); Gueye (Leonard 75). Unused: Toth, McFadzean, Hedges, Litherland, O’Grady-Macken.

Burnley: Trafford; Roberts, Egan-Riley, Esteve, Humphreys; Cullen, Laurent; Sarmiento (Foster 77), Brownhill, Anthony; Flemming. Unused: Hladky, Worrall, Egan, Pires, Koleosho, Barnes, Rodriguez, McDermott.