Eiran Cashin's first goal for managerless Blackburn was enough to secure a 1-0 win over bottom-club Sheffield Wednesday and move out of the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone.
After a turbulent few days that saw Valerien Ismael depart, the on-loan Brighton defender provided much-needed respite by emphatically converting from close range in the 12th minute to ensure Rovers edged a game originally abandoned back in December with the hosts leading.
Rovers were in control for the majority of the contest and Sondre Tronstad struck the woodwork as they set about calming a nervy Ewood Park.
But only a tremendous clearance on the line by Mathias Jorgensen just after the break kept the scores level as he headed onto the crossbar.
They deservedly held on, ending an eight-match winless run to haul themselves out of the drop zone on goal difference, while stretching Wednesday's sequence without victory to 24.
Damien Johnson's side started well with Dion De Neve's pinpoint left-wing cross finding Ryoya Morishita, who saw his first-time show deflect behind in the 11th minute.
Rovers maintained the pressure and were rewarded with the opener a minute later.
It owed much to the tenacity of Tronstad who kept the ball alive under pressure from two players on the left and when it fell for Morishita, he whipped in a low cross to Cashin who tucked home from close range.
The all-action Tronstad nearly made it two when he picked the ball up 25 yards out and arrowed a powerful shot towards the left corner but goalkeeper Murphy Cooper was at full stretch to tip onto the post.
Moussa Baradji tried to tighten Blackburn's grip with a driving run that ended when he engineered space 25 yards out for a low shot but Cooper saved comfortably.
Wednesday's threat was non-existent and the closest they came was when Hayden Carter sliced a Yan Valery cross over his own bar.
Their best chance came two minutes after the restart when Rovers keeper Balazs Toth clawed away when a long throw was headed goalwards and the rebound fell to Jamal Lowe, whose header was destined for the corner but Jorgensen brilliantly headed onto the bar to preserve the lead.
Todd Cantwell lifted an inch-perfect ball for Jorgensen to run onto, only for the impressive Cooper's outstretched left hand to deny him.
The increased anxiety of the Ewood faithful was summed up on the hour when Sean McLoughlin headed the ball beyond his onrushing keeper but, fortunately, the ball went wide.
Blackburn almost put the game to bed in the 69th minute when Morishita flashed a cross to Andri Gudjohnsen who was thwarted at point-blank range by Cooper.
Ultimately though, a second goal wasn't needed.
Blackburn interim head coach Damien Johnson:
"We all knew it was a big game for us. It's not been an easy 24 hours. It wasn't pretty but unbelievable credit to the players. I thought they were fantastic.
"They did play some nice stuff at times but other times they had to just dig in and fight and show spirit and thankfully we got the three points.
"If you can get yourself in front, it makes life a lot easier. Ideally you want the second and we did push for it but when you can't get it, it's important you keep them out. They defended the box really well.
"I couldn't have asked for any more of the players in terms of their mentality, their work rate and fighting spirit. Hopefully it's the turning point for them because it's not been easy but they're an unbelievable group of players so I'm just really pleased for them."
Sheffield Wednesday's Henrik Pedersen:
"First half, on the ball, the first two thirds on the pitch, we were good, to play the press away to progress high up on the pitch.
"We had a challenge when we went from the second third to last third to break the final line, to get more touches in the box. Our offensive possession was okay, but to create something we had challenges again.
"We changed a few things in the second half for our offensive position to get more people high up on the pitch. We were very aggressive, high intensity. The game was less organised.
"After the first 15 minutes, where we create chances, we bring the ball high up but too many times when we can make a deep ball, we end up playing backwards and we have to start again.
"It takes the momentum out of the situation. We need to be braver and we need to risk more."
