Matt Neal has won the first of todays three Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races on Brands Hatchs Grand Prix circuit to bring his title hopes back to life.

Tom Onslow-Cole led initially but Neals Honda Yuasa Racing Team Civic was soon past the eBay Motors BMW and from there was never headed on a wet track. Neal also set the races fastest lap for a bonus point.

Andrew Jordan was second in his Pirtek Racing Honda Civic ahead of Onslow-Cole who took third.

Aron Smith was a feisty fourth in Redstone Racings Ford Focus ST after some determined overtaking moves, while team-mate Mat Jackson retired in the pit lane.

Neals team-mate Gordon Shedden took fifth, just ahead of eBays Robert Collard and Team ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra driver Dave Newsham, these two separated by just 0.019s at the line.

Jason Plato was eighth but seemed to struggle for outright pace in his KX Momentum Racing MG6.

It all means that Shedden continues to lead the standings heading into this afternoons penultimate race of the season by the increased margin of 18 points from Plato. Defending Champion Neal, though, has reduced his gap to Shedden from 31 points to 20, setting up a nail-biting afternoon of action.

Jordan can longer win the outright drivers title, but his maximum Independents score has done wonders for his bid for the privateers titlehe now those standings by 35 points from Collard with only 40 available from todays remaining two races.

The fight for the Independent Teams Trophy has also intensified. eBay Motors stays ahead but Pirtek Racing is now just two points behind with Redstone Racing just another nine adrift.