MATCH ANALYSIS & VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Blackburn Rovers 1 Bolton Wanderers 0

Speculation raged over Rhodes’ future before the game after Middlesbrough made an offer to take him on loan until the end of season with a view to a permanent deal in the summer.

MORE TOP STORIES:

But, just like he did in August after Hull City had a £10m-plus bid rejected for his services, Rhodes did not let it bother him and he was in the right place at the right time, as he has been throughout his goal-laden Rovers career, to earn Gary Bowyer’s side a win that moves them within 11 points of the play-offs.

But it was a win that came at a cost as Corry Evans and Markus Olsson came off injured.

Rovers boss Bowyer was as good as his word as he recalled Rhodes to his starting line-up after being an unused substitute in Sunday’s superb FA Cup quarter-final 0-0 draw at Liverpool.

But the 13-goal striker did not have a chance to add to his tally in a first half in which defences were on top.

The best fell Rovers’ way on the stroke of half-time when Ben Marshall headed over from eight yards out.

He should have scored.

But Adam Le Fondre will have felt the same way after home debutant Doneil Henry fouled Rovers nemesis Emile Heskey in the middle of the D, with the on-loan Cardiff City striker sending his free kick too close to Steele who palmed it around the post.

Man-of-the-match Steele then saw Le Fondre fire another effort straight down his throat.

At the other end it was Tom Cairney who was providing the biggest threat.

He curled one long-range attempt wide, nearly sent Marshall clear with a wonderful pass that split the Bolton centre-backs, and then went on to a thrilling run that ended with Craig Conway dragging wide from 20 yards.

By that stage Cairney’s midfield-partner Evans and left-back Olsson had to be replaced by Lee Williamson and Tommy Spurr.

But Marshall should have lifted the mood in added time when he connected with Conway’s inswinging cross from the left.

The winger tried to make amends three minutes into the second half as his 25-yard free kick whistled past the post.

Slowly but surely Rovers were beginning to exert more pressure on Ben Amos’ goal yet Wanderers, bidding to end a four-game losing away run, were standing firm.

But they were so nearly opened up in the 62nd minute when Chris Brown played a lovely one-two with Cairney and cut back inside before seeing his close-range shot smothered by Amos.

Amos then stretched out his left hand to push another Cairney 25-yarder past the post and from the resulting Conway corner the impressive Henry planted a firm header inches wide.

Bowyer then threw on top-scorer Rudy Gestede for Brown yet it was a fresher Bolton side who began to threaten, Matt Mills heading a corner from Liam Feeney over before another Rovers old boy Neil Danns tested Steele’s reactions from distance.

And Bolton should have gone in front in the 78th minute when substitute Craig Davies found himself clean through on goal.

But Steele stood tall and blocked the forward’s poked effort with his legs.

Rovers went straight down the other end and created a gilt-edged opportunity of their own as Conway crossed for Rhodes who, from just six yards out, headed straight at Amos.

And he would have been made to pay for his profligacy moments later had Steele not shown stunning reactions to deny Le Fondre at his near post.

It proved a crucial save as 30 seconds from the end of the four minutes of injury-time, Rhodes struck.

Cairney outswinging corner was flicked on by Henry and there was the master poacher to make it 14 goals for the campaign and win the game for Rovers, for whom it was their first home clean sheet of the year and the third in their last four outings.