CHORLEY...1 HYDE UNITED...0

CHORLEY produced a performance full of character to topple league leaders Hyde and throw the UniBond Division One title race wide open.

The display delighted caretaker-manager Jim McBride, who was engulfed by the players in emotional scenes at the final whistle.

The Magpies were good value for their unexpected victory. For all their neat touches on the ball, the visitors found it hard to break down a quick-tackling Chorley defence, in which skipper Billy McCartney and Jamie Bates were outstanding.

Hyde looked a big threat early on, with striker Matty McNeil a real handful, but an injury to a defender resulted in McNeil taking up a central defensive role and the switch clearly helped the Magpies' cause.

Chorley took the game to Hyde in an exciting first half and a lovely pass from Anthony Hogan sent Danny Queeley through but his fierce shot rippled the side-netting.

Then Jamie Vermiglio fired in a great 25-yards drive which keeper Tim Mullock at full stretch fisted for a corner.

Mullock then turned aside a powerful Danny Mills shot before at the other end McNeil hooked the ball narrowly over the bar from Kieran Delaney's headed flick-on.

Mills was too high with a 25-yards snap-shot just after the break and as Chorley continued to look the more dangerous David Eatock scuffed his shot at the back post from Lee Pryers' searching low cross.

The Magpies, however, got the goal they deserved in the 63rd minute when Vermiglio and Eatock worked a short free-kick routine just outside the box for Lee Ashcroft to stroke the ball just inside Mullock's left-hand post.

Hyde still did not look capable of fashioning a goal and it was Chorley, who several times came close to adding to their slender lead.

Mills drove narrowly wide from 20 yards and then substitute Andy Mason's first touch let him down at short range with a gaping goal in front of him.

The visitors threw everything into a desperate late rally but the nearest they came was when from McNeil's header into a packed goalmouth Neil Tolson saw his firm follow-up header held under the bar by Graham Bennett.

In the dying seconds, Chorley substitute Dean Butterworth burst clear and beat the advancing Mullock, but his low shot flashed just the wrong side of the post.

Hyde's bad day was complete when they learned that victory for Matlock Town had taken their closest rivals to the top of the table.

Acting-boss McBride said: "We've won one. All we have to do now is win the other four."