Chorley 0-3 Boston United

The Pilgrims stunned fellow promotion hopefuls Chorley, who had won their previous seven fixtures at Victory Park.

Knowles opened the scoring with an eighth minute penalty and added two further goals before the break - with Chorley's Justin Johnson missing a second half spot-kick of his own and Jack Hazlehurst receiving a late red card for the hosts.

Knowles' treble was the third successive match in which United had netted a hat-trick - with Kelsey Mooney and Knowles striking at Gloucester City and Mooney in his own right against Farsley Celtic.

The flurry of first half goals started when KNOWLES nipped in ahead of keeper Max Dearnley in pursuit of Harvey Smith's back header and duly stroked home the spot-kick after the on-loan Buxton keeper had been carded.

Hazlehurst crashed a 25-yard free-kick narrowly off target as United continued to battle away on a deteriorating playing surface - and the second goal arrived on the half hour mark.

Ethan Sephton delivered a cross from the left and after Mooney had failed to turn it home at the near post, KNOWLES arrived at the back stick to poke home the loose ball.

Knowles subsequently chipped wide with Dearnley wandering and then curled another effort narrowly wide of the far post. KNOWLES was undeterred though and rifled home a low drive at Dearnley's near post two minutes before the break.

Chorley threw caution to the wind after the break and Johnson had already blasted off target, after being switched from right to left by manager Andy Preece, before forcing Cameron Gregory into two excellent saves.

Brad Nicholson hacked Frankie Maguire down in the box, but Johnson inexplicably stroked his penalty wide, with Gregory later denying the Chorley danger man as the home side's efforts to force their way back into the game gradually fizzled out.

Hazlehurst saw red five minutes from time for a hack at Mooney and although Jai Rowe was denied a fourth by a flying Dearnley save, United had long since secured three huge points in the promotion race.

Chorley (4-2-3-1): Max Dearnley; Adam Henley, Mark Ellis, Harvey Smith, Scott Wilson; Mike Calveley, Kieran Glynn (George Horbury 65); Justin Johnson (Joe Nolan 90), Jack Hazlehurst, Frankie Maguire; Jack Sampson (Carlton Ubaezuonu 70). Subs (not used): Billy Whitehouse, David Moyo.

Boston (4-1-2-1-2): Cameron Gregory; Jai Rowe, Michael Bostwick, Brad Nicholson, Ethan Sephton; Martin Woods; Dylan Hill, Lucien Mahovo (Michael Gyasi 77); Keaton Ward; Kelsey Mooney, Jimmy Knowles. Subs (not used): Tom Leak, Deji Sotona, Sam Smart, Zak Mills.

Referee: Ben Robinson.

Attendance: 1,681.

PIC: Lee Keuneke.