Andy Carroll put his latest off-field controversy to one side to fire Newcastle closer to the Premier League.
The Magpies striker, allegedly involved in a bust-up with team-mate Steven Taylor, latched on to Wayne Routledge's pass, held off a defender and poked in.
The home side had enjoyed the better of the first half with Billy Sharp forcing Steve Harper into two saves.
But the visitors improved after the break as Kevin Nolan and Carroll missed chances to extend their lead.
Newcastle have not commented on newspaper reports that Taylor suffered a broken jaw in a training ground fracas with Carroll.
The defender, likely to be out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, was admitted to hospital on Sunday and discharged on Tuesday.
Carroll is also due in court next month on a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm after an incident in the Blu Bambu club in December.
But the recent negative headlines did not seem to affect Carroll who led the line with aplomb and settled the match after 59 minutes with his 10th goal in 11 games.
The Magpies are 10 points clear of third-placed Nottingham Forest and within four wins of guaranteeing promotion back to the top flight at the first attempt.
The defeat was a setback to Doncaster's play-off hopes, although their football was easy on the eye, demonstrating how they had put together a six-match unbeaten run going into the clash with the Magpies.
Carroll, wearing gloves, missed the target with an early effort and just failed to connect with Ryan Taylor's corner.
Doncaster then took control of the game, with Harper pulling off a superb one-handed save to deny Sharp from 10 yards.
Sharp, on loan from Sheffield United, wasted an even better chance on the half-hour mark when he shot straight at Harper from six yards.
Newcastle badly needed a creative spark and it came from Routledge, who set up Caroll for a fierce drive, which forced home keeper Neil Sullivan into a flying save with a venomous drive.
The same two players combined for the goal, with Routledge slipping the ball into Carroll's path through the inside right channel.
The big forward muscled off Gareth Roberts's challenge, sped past Sullivan and finished in style.
Rovers were denied an instant equaliser when Sharp's effort was flagged offside.
But the visitors held on to extend their unbeaten run to nine matches, and could have furthered their lead when Carroll produced another surge into the box before firing across the face of goal.
Newcastle brought on Joey Barton as a late substitute for his first appearance since breaking a bone in his foot in September.
Newcastle manager Chris Hughton: "The team have been focused all season. We have carried the pressure of being top all season and the pressures that go with that.
"It was a very tough game as expected. This (Doncaster) side is a wonderful footballing side, coping far better with this division.
"They keep possession and use the space very well. They gave us a real test."
Doncaster manager Sean O'Driscoll: "It was a tight game. We were excellent off the ball and stopped them getting any rhythm, which was important.
"They had to fight for everything and we had to be brave on the ball and I thought we were.
"We mixed it up really well, I'm just disappointed we didn't get a result."
85:13 Corner taken by Dean Shiels from the left by-line, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas takes a shot. Steve Harper makes a comfortable save.
82:41 Nicky Butt fouled by Martin Woods, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Steve Harper.
82:12 Martin Woods fouled by Jonas Gutierrez, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by John Oster.
81:08 John Oster crosses the ball, Tamas Kadar makes a clearance.
80:40 Unfair challenge on John Oster by Andrew Carroll results in a free kick. Free kick taken by John Oster.
79:04 Jay Emmanuel-Thomas handles the ball and concedes a free kick. Steve Harper restarts play with the free kick.
73:54 Substitution Joey Barton comes on in place of Danny Guthrie.
73:27 Substitution Jay Emmanuel-Thomas is brought on as a substitute for Mark Wilson.
73:00 Kevin Nolan takes a shot. Save made by Neil Sullivan.
71:34 Free kick awarded for a foul by Mark Wilson on Wayne Routledge. Fabricio Coloccini takes the direct free kick.
70:22 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by John Oster, save by Steve Harper.
70:15 James Hayter crosses the ball, Ryan Taylor makes a clearance.
69:14 The assistant referee signals for offside against Andrew Carroll. Neil Sullivan restarts play with the free kick.
66:53 Andrew Carroll challenges Martin Woods unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Mark Wilson.
66:19 Martin Woods takes a shot from just outside the penalty area which clears the crossbar.
63:47 Foul by Andrew Carroll on James O'Connor, free kick awarded. Neil Sullivan takes the free kick.
63:03 Kevin Nolan fouled by James Chambers, the ref awards a free kick. Tamas Kadar takes the direct free kick.
62:20 Billy Sharp is caught offside. Steve Harper takes the free kick.
62:01 Martin Woods takes a shot. Save by Steve Harper.
60:36 Shelton Martis challenges Kevin Nolan unfairly and gives away a free kick. Nicky Butt delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from left wing, Neil Sullivan makes a save.
60:03 Andrew Carroll fouled by Mark Wilson, the ref awards a free kick. Danny Simpson takes the direct free kick.
58:21 Assist on the goal came from Ryan Taylor.
58:21 GOAL - Andrew Carroll:Doncaster 0 - 1 Newcastle Andrew Carroll finds the net with a goal from inside the area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Doncaster 0-1 Newcastle.
54:53 Martin Woods has an effort at goal from long range that misses to the right of the goal.
53:43 The assistant referee flags for offside against Billy Sharp. Steve Harper takes the free kick.
52:59 Andrew Carroll produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the area and misses to the left of the target.
51:39 Martin Woods has an effort direct from the free kick, save made by Steve Harper.
51:39 Booking Caution for Danny Simpson.
51:32 Free kick awarded for a foul by Danny Simpson on Dean Shiels.
49:01 Corner taken short by Danny Guthrie.
48:32 John Oster concedes a free kick for a foul on Danny Guthrie. Nicky Butt takes the direct free kick.
45:01 The referee blows his whistle to start the second half.
Half Time
45:00+1:12 The first half comes to an end.
43:33 Centre by John Oster, Billy Sharp takes a shot. Save by Steve Harper.
43:24 Martin Woods fouled by Kevin Nolan, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Gareth Roberts.
41:10 James Hayter challenges Ryan Taylor unfairly and gives away a free kick. Steve Harper restarts play with the free kick.
40:29 James Hayter gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Wayne Routledge. Ryan Taylor takes the free kick.
38:51 Kevin Nolan is ruled offside. Indirect free kick taken by Neil Sullivan.
35:33 The assistant referee flags for offside against Dean Shiels. Steve Harper restarts play with the free kick.
33:28 Danny Guthrie takes a inswinging corner from the left by-line to the near post, clearance by Martin Woods.
31:54 Jonas Gutierrez fouled by James Chambers, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Danny Simpson.
31:26 Andrew Carroll takes a shot. Save by Neil Sullivan.
30:04 Billy Sharp takes a shot. Save by Steve Harper.
27:51 Clearance made by Tamas Kadar.
27:51 Booking Ryan Taylor is booked.
27:43 Outswinging corner taken left-footed by Martin Woods,
27:20 Wayne Routledge concedes a free kick for a foul on Dean Shiels. Gareth Roberts takes the direct free kick.
24:39 Corner taken right-footed by Danny Guthrie from the left by-line, clearance made by Mark Wilson.
24:14 Martin Woods decides to take a short corner.
24:07 Billy Sharp crosses the ball, clearance by Tamas Kadar.
23:09 Foul by Martin Woods on Tamas Kadar, free kick awarded. Fabricio Coloccini takes the free kick.
21:01 Effort from outside the area by Billy Sharp goes wide right of the goal.
20:36 Billy Sharp takes a shot. Steve Harper makes a save.
13:59 Corner from the right by-line taken by Ryan Taylor, clearance by Shelton Martis.
13:30 Danny Guthrie takes a inswinging corner to the near post, clearance made by Shelton Martis.
12:47 Foul by Mark Wilson on Danny Guthrie, free kick awarded. Ryan Taylor delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from right wing.
10:02 John Oster takes a shot. Ryan Taylor gets a block in.
6:26 The ball is crossed by Ryan Taylor.
6:04 Mark Wilson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Nicky Butt. Direct free kick taken by Nicky Butt.
5:11 Effort on goal by Andrew Carroll from just inside the area clears the bar.
0:00 The match gets underway.
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