Wanderers held on to three priceless points to send Fabrice Muamba the perfect get well soon message.

After an emotional and impeccably observed pre-match tribute to the midfielder, still in intensive care after going into cardiac arrest at Tottenham last weekend, it was back down to business for Owen Coyle's men, still deep in relegation trouble.

While it had been a taxing week for the squad, there were few signs of strain on the pitch, where the desire to earn a result for their fallen team-mate was there for all to see.

David Wheater scored twice in the first half to settle the nerves – the first time he had done so in his professional career – but Steven Nzonzi's header midway through the second half ensured it would be no easy ride.

Wanderers quickly got into their stride, with Martin Petrov and Sam Ricketts combining effectively on the left.

And it was the Bulgarian winger who had the game's first real chance, snapping a shot towards Paul Robinson's goal after only eight minutes.

Blackburn had been rather pedestrian in the early exchanges but an injection of pace from former Whites target Junior Hoillet caused problems at the back, and Gretar Steinsson was perhaps lucky to get away with his challenge, which brought the Rovers striker crashing to the turf.

Moments later, Tim Ream got a vital touch on Hoillet's cross from the left to ensure Yakubu didn't have a clear sight of goal from eight yards.

Wanderers opened the scoring on 28 minutes when Petrov whipped a cross in from the left, which Steven Nzonzi could only help on, and Wheater was there to head home unmarked from six yards out.

The whole squad assembled as a group to celebrate the goal in understated fashion.

Yakubu had a brief chance to snatch an equaliser when he got on the end of Marcus Olsson's cross, only to head into the side netting.

But Wheater was soon celebrating his first-ever professional brace after escaping the attentions of marker Scott Dann to head home Ryo Miyaichi's corner.

Wanderers continued on the front foot into the second half, with Miyaichi curling a shot just wide and Ngog missing a good headed chance.

And Blackburn made sure they paid for their profligacy, as Morten Gamst Pedersen's bouncing bomb of a long throw found Nzonzi, who headed past the stranded Adam Bogdan to halve the deficit.

Mark Davies should have restored the two-goal cushion when he headed Miyachi's clipped cross over the crossbar with the goal gaping.

The busy midfielder then turned provider for Petrov on 66 minutes, wriggling free from Marcus Olsson on the left to pull a ball back, scuffed awfully wide by the winger's weaker right foot.

Wanderers really should have put the game completely to bed with the number of opportunities they were creating from the wide positions, and Owen Coyle turned to Ivan Klasnic from the bench in a bid to find a killer touch. David Ngog, the man he replaced, was given a standing ovation.

Blackburn turned the screw late on, using Pedersen's long throw to maximum advantage, but Wanderers held firm to record a result that pulls them out of the bottom three by a point.