BEN Marshall and Jordan Rhodes scored either side of half-time as Rovers ended their five-game winless run in the Championship on a bitterly cold afternoon at Ewood Park.

Marshall broke the deadlock in the 12th minute when he netted his first goal in 14 games.

And the recalled Rhodes doubled the advantage in the 61st minute to end his own run of six matches without a goal.

His fellow Scotland international striker Ross McCormack reduced the arrears five minutes later.

But Rovers held on for a much-needed victory that hauled them up to ninth in the standings and within eight points of the play-offs.

It was in-form Fulham who showed first in an open first half when McCormack played a pass in behind Markus Olsson for Jazz Richards.

But, with the goal at his mercy, the debutant saw his side-footed shot pushed away by Jason Steele.

It proved an important save as within two minutes Rovers were in front.

The ball broke in midfield to Marshall and he showed greater desire than Nikolay Bodurov to win it before surging into the box where he confronted Marcus Bettinelli.

The former on-loan Accrington Stanley goalkeeper came out to narrow the angle.

But Marshall simply slipped the ball underneath him to take his tally for the term up to seven.

Marshall, given the license to roam, then clipped a cross into the area for Rhodes who brought the ball down on his chest before firing a volley straight at Bettinelli.

But the Cottagers, chasing a third straight league win which would have hauled them above Rovers in the table, responded strongly to going behind.

And in the 18th minute Cauley Woodrow should have equalised after fit-again ex-England international Scott Parker opened up the home defence with a brilliant through pass.

But the youngster dragged his first-time effort wide with just Steele to beat.

Rovers, whose starting line-up including new signing Jay Spearing, survived another scare moments later.

This time it was McCormack who was guilty of wasteful finishing as he blazed over from the edge of the box after on-loan Swansea City right-back Richards pulled the ball back from the byline.

And McCormack, who later skewed another shot wide, was nearly made to pay in the 25th minute.

Rhodes held the ball up for Marshall who then played it inside to Craig Conway.

And the winger took a touch before curling a delightful strike, which had Bettinelli beaten all ends up, against the post.

Fulham, featuring former on-loan midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe, had one final chance to equalise before the opening period was out.

But Lasse Vigen Christensen could only send a free header wide from Konstantinos Stafylidis’ left-wing cross.

Rhodes saw headed opportunities, one of which he should have done better with it, come and go at the start of the second half.

But he made no mistake with the one that came his way just past the hour mark.

Olsson’s cross from the left was a good one and Rhodes got in front of his marker to flick a lovely header past Bettinelli.

It was his 10th goal of the campaign.

But once again the Cottagers hit back and Woodrow, in a crowded box, crashed a shot against the bar.

Less than 60 seconds later, though, the deficit was halved when Christensen sent over a fine cross, low along the ground, to the back post where the waiting McCormack turned the ball past Steele.

All of a sudden Rovers began to live dangerously and it needed a superb block from Spearing to prevent Christensen from troubling Steele before Kilgallon did the same from McCormack.

And at the other end Rhodes headed over after Bettinelli could only parry Conway’s pile-driver into his path.

Rovers: Steele, Lowe, Hanley, Kilgallon, Olsson, Marshall (Taylor 84), Spearing (Cairney, 84) Evans, Conway, Rhodes, Brown. Subs not used: Eastwood, Baptiste, Duffy, Spurr, Varney.

Goals: Marshall 12, Rhodes 61.

Fulham: Bettinelli, Richards, Hutchinson, Bodurov, Stafylidis, Parker (Fofana 83), Tunnicliffe, Christensen, McCormack, Rodallega (Kacaniklic 62), Woodrow (Dembele 75). Subs not used: Kiraly, Burn, Grimmer, Roberts.

Goal: McCormack 66.

Referee: Dean Whitestone.

Attendance: 13,603.