A double from Jon Ustabasi did the damage for the Magpies - either side of Abbott's brilliant 54th minute strike, which was his first United goal since returning to the club in February.

Joe Leesley rattled the crossbar late on, with Matt Urwin excelling to keep out Fraser Preston, as United somehow left empty-handed on their long midweek trip to the northwest.

Jake Wright Snr and Ntumba Massanka returned to the starting XI ahead of kick-off, with Andi Thanoj and Jordan Burrow making way.

It was a keenly-contested encounter between two sides vying for positions in the top seven - but it was Chorley who inched in front with a strike of real quality from USTABASI in the 28th minute, surging past a flailing Brad Nicholson before rounding Marcus Dewhurst and firing into an empty net.

Matt Urwin made a good save to deny Leesley an immediate equaliser at the other end.

United levelled nine minutes after the break when ABBOTT sailed home a curling beauty from 20 yards, high to Urwin's left.

The Pilgrims had never previously lost a match in which Abbott had scored but that record was under serious threat with Dewhurst excelling to keep out Scott Leather's firm drive, before the Magpies re-asserted their lead in the 67th minute with USTABASI firing home another fine effort after a lucky bounce of the ball in the Boston box.

United's evening took a significant turn for the worse when substitute Burrow was hacked from behind by Andy Halls and he eventually limped off with suspected damage to his ankle.

Leesley hit the crossbar with a header from three yards following Danny Elliott's cross from the right, while Urwin kept out substitute Preston at the death, as United headed home defeated.

Chorley (4-2-3-1): Matt Urwin; Andy Halls, Scott Leather, Lewis Baines, Adam Blakeman; Will Tomlinson, Mike Calveley; Billy Whitehouse, Connor Hall (Millenic Alli 66), Jon Ustabasi; Jack Sampson (Jacob Blyth 90). Subs (not used): Adam Henley, Ollie Shenton, Brad Holmes.

Boston (3-5-2): Marcus Dewhurst; Brad Nicholson, Jake Wright Snr, Scott Duxbury; Femi Seriki, Brad Abbott (Fraser Preston 83), Tom Platt, Shane Byrne, Joe Leesley; Ntumba Massanka (Jordan Burrow 66, James Hanson 80), Danny Elliott. Subs (not used): Andi Thanoj, Keenan Ferguson.

Referee: Ben Wyatt.

Attendance: 550.