Leonardo Ulloa ended his barren streak in front of goal as Albion ran out 1-0 winners over Doncaster at the Amex.

The Argentinean netted for the first time in seven games with 15 minutes remaining to make it a happy homecoming for the Seagulls.

It was their first league win since the previous home match against Birmingham on January 11.

In between, the Seagulls had taken just one point from three difficult away games.

Oscar Garcia handed a full debut to David Rodriguez while Rohan Ince returned and Solly March made his first Championship start amid three changes from the side that lost at Watford.

March particularly impressed in a strong start by Albion when they stretched Doncaster with a number of dangerous crosses into the box.

But for all their pressing in the first half, Albion never once seriously tested visiting keeper Sam Johnstone.

The best opportunity of the first half came on 31 minutes when Stephen Ward crossed low across the face of goal but March, at full stretch, just failed to get on the end of it.

The danger of not making the most of possession almost cost Albion dear on 56 minutes as Billy Sharp was left unmarked from James Coppinger’s cross but he headed wastefully wide.

Moments later Coppinger shot straight into the arms of Tomasz Kuszczak from Chris Brown’s cutback.

The introduction of Kazenga LuaLua coincided with a more threatening spell from Albion, with the substitute firing over and then Ulloa sidefooting into the keeper’s arms from a corner before heading over moments later from an inviting Rodriguez cross.

Rodriguez was the next to try his luck, with Johnstone beating away his shot at the near post.

Albion thought they had made the breakthrough on 73 minutes when Ulloa tapped in LuaLua’s cross but it was ruled out for offside.

It came, though, two minutes later as Ward’s cross from the left was headed home by Ulloa for his first goal since Boxing Day.

Doncaster were reduced to ten men with four minutes to go when Sharp caught Gordon Greer with a poor challenge and then pushed the Albion skipper in the chest.

Victory lifted Albion to eighth in the table, four points off the play-offs with a game in hand ahead of Tuesday's visit of Leeds.

Albion: Kuszczak; Bruno, Greer, Upson, Ward; Ince, Stephens, Orlandi (sub LuaLua 62); March (sub Lopez 80), Ulloa, Rodriguez (sub Obika 89). Subs not used: Dunk, Calderon, Agustien, Brezovan.

Doncaster: Johnstone; Tamas (sub Quinn 46), Meite, Khumalo, Husband; Coppinger, Furman, Keegan, Duffy (sub Cotterill 76); Sharp, Brown. Subs not used: McCullough, de Val, Peterson, Stevens, Maxted.