David Dunn scored a hotly-disputed penalty as Blackburn won 1-0 at Burnley to leave the Clarets deep in Premier League relegation trouble.
Burnley received a boost ahead of the Lancashire derby when West Ham were beaten 1-0 at home to Stoke on Saturday - but they were lacking the good fortune they desperately needed at Turf Moor.
Martin Olsson was clearly going to ground before minimal contact came from Brian Jensen for Blackburn's penalty in the 20th minute - and Wade Elliot was right on the edge of the box when Chris Samba clumsily brought him down six minutes before half-time.
Unfortunately for the Clarets Mike Dean gave Rovers a penalty but them only a free-kick - and Brian Laws' side never really recovered from the double blow.
To be fair, they had been on the back foot right from the first whistle and thought they had fallen behind in the 18th minute when Olsson lashed past Jensen only to see an offside flag.
The reprieve was only temporary and Rovers did go ahead two minutes later when Olsson raced into the box, cut inside Jensen and went down, seemingly before any contact, to earn a penalty that Dunn easily converted.
Samba's scythe on Elliot was the closest Burnley got to an opportunity before half-time but, after only a free-kick was given, they failed to make the most of it and the visitors went into the interval deservedly ahead.
The Clarets showed a vast improvement at the start of the second period, however, and finally forced Jason Brown into action, albeit simple, from Martin Paterson in the 54th minute.
Thirteen minutes later and it was Blackburn's turn to suffer from the officials as Olsson's fine 30-yard effort bounced down off the crossbar and seemingly over the line, with neither Dean nor his assistants spotting it.
Olsson went close again two minutes later when he got on the end of Stephen N'Zonzi's ball into the box but shot straight at Jensen despite having the time to steady himself 10 yards out.
There was yet more controversy 14 minutes from time when a sliding Brown appeared to carry the ball out of his box but Dean missed it again, much to the annoyance of David Nugent.
Burnley did create one more chance, in the 81st minute, but Samba managed to get a toe on Danny Fox's low centre that took it away from Elliot and Stephen Fletcher who were both well placed to tap in an equaliser.
The home side were given five additional minutes to salvage a point but an onslaught never materialised and Rovers easily held on to go 10th, with their bitter rivals still 19th and three points from safety.
