PHOTOS: Doncaster Rovers 1 Burnley FC 2

The triumph was Burnley's 10th away from Turf Moor, only bettered by Reading and West Ham in the Championship, and moved them to within six points off the play-off spots.

And the Clarets, despite a change of momentum following Chris Brown's equaliser, were worthy of the three points as the hosts lacked the scrapping character of a team plummeting towards League One.

McQuoid struck in spectacular style as his rasping half-volley flew past Gary Woods at his near post in the 36th minute at the Keepmoat Stadium.

The Clarets, who had full control of the first half, had swept the ball about with confidence with only a desperate Sam Hird challenge on the edge of the box preventing Charlie Austin converting a 20-plus passing move midway through the half.

Struggling Rovers, who made nine changes from the 4-0 defeat to Leicester City, showed no urgency for a side fighting for their lives at the wrong end of the Championship.

Instead they sat deep and invited Burnley forward as they retained possession, stroking the ball from left to right, with an air of nonchalence. Ross Wallace, acting as a makeshift left-back, almost gave the Clarets an early leading, his stinging drive from 30 yards flashing past the angle with Woods well beaten.

And almost instantly came a second opening with a familiar training ground corner routine almost paying dividends, though Danny Ings miscued following David Edgar's step over. Rovers had no zip, there was no electricity in their approach, and no invention as the Clarets soaked up the rare pressure.

James Hayter tried his luck from the edge of the box but his low effort was deflected wide of the far post. And from the resulting set-piece Brown failed to stab Brian Stock's cross past a wall of lemon chrome shirts.

Edgar looked like breaking the deadlock in Burnley's next attack following good work between McQuoid and Dean Marney down the right but the defender failed to find the target from the latter's lofted cross to the back post.

It was going to take something special for the hosts to find a breakthrough, and that moment almost arrived courtesy of their Player of the Month Simon Gillett. The midfielder combined with Brown before forcing Lee Grant in to a sublime save from his low, stinging drive.

The Clarets continued to press without exertion and the goal finally arrived when the ball broke for McQuoid from Grant's long punt forward and he finished with expertise to register his first goal for the club.

The home side, who had lost the influential Stock in the first half, appeared to be up against it once Kyle Bennett was replaced by James Coppinger but the substitute, along with Giles Barnes, provided the bite and creativity required to launch a revival.

After Coppinger had punished Junior Stanislas for his hesitancy inside the area and McCann had sliced wide Dean Saunders's men scraped a leveller against the run of play. Coppinger's teasing cross saw Brown tower over Edgar at the back post to head home.

The equaliser seemingly galvanised Rovers, and only then did it appear to click that they were in a battle for survival. The two subs were involved again though Grant was equal to Barnes's header from Coppinger's inswinging set-piece. But while the hosts rallied, the Clarets grew back in to the fixture. Barnes and Coppinger continued to pepper the box with crosses but to no avail and it was Burnley who came close to regaining the lead when Austin stung the palms of Woods with a venomous half-volley. And the keeper denied the striker again, keeping out his bullet header at the foot of his post.

However, the striker eventually won the battle from the penalty spot. McQuoid's craft in midfield resulted in Stanislas threading a pass through to Ings who was chopped down by Adam Lockwood. Austin stepped up, slotted to Woods's left, sending the keeper the wrong way in the process, for his 16th of the campaign.

Howe continued his policy of promoting his youth players and Shay McCartan was given the nod for his debut, replacing Stanislas. Then, in the closing stages, Grant turned over George Friend's angled drive as the hosts pressed for a point.