DROITWICH'S Matt Neal extended his championship lead to 27 points after chalking up one victory in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship rounds at the high-speed Snetterton circuit.

The reigning champion is now clear of nearest challenger Colin Turkington but Jason Plato made the biggest move after winning the other two races.

Those victories have moved him back up to third in the title race which now moves to the Knockhill Circuit in Fife, Scotland on September 3.

Despite his lead, Team Halfords driver Neal remained cautious about his chances of becoming the first driver in 20 years to achieve back-to-back BTCC titles.

He was reminded of how quickly fortunes change in race two when his Honda Integra span at the final bend in a controversial collision with Plato's SEAT Leon. Neal's race three win was therefore vital for him to re-assert himself at the top of the table.

The 39-year-old said: "It's not quite gone to plan but I've still come out clear of Colin and with a slightly bigger lead. But 27 points is not a lot.

"There are still 140 points to be won in the final nine rounds. I had a similar lead this time last year but the pressure is definitely on.

"Looking ahead, Knockhill will be tough. Last year it rained and we had a great weekend but I'm not relying on that this year. Plus, my car will have maximum ballast on it so lugging that lot up the hills is going to be very hard work."

Team RAC MG driver Turkington retired from the first race before salvaging third and fifth-place finishes. The 24-year-old from Portadown is aiming to become the BTCC's youngest ever champion, and he hasn't given up hope of overhauling Neal.

He said: "Considering I had one non-finish, I'm not that disappointed. I only lost five points to Matt and he appears to be fairly unsteady at the moment and quite rattled."

In race one, Plato led all the way from pole position to take his fourth win of the season. Neal survived collisions with two drivers, including arch-rival Turkington, to bring his battered Team Halfords Honda home in sixth.

Turkington retired his MG with mechanical problems while he was in front of Neal.

Gordon Shedden lost third in the standings to Plato when his Halfords Honda and Tom Chilton's Vauxhall collided and span out of sight together into a crop field.

In race two, the outcome ultimately came down to one moment of controversy when race-long leader Plato and Neal collided at the final corner. The pair had already tangled halfway around the last lap and at the chicane their cars rubbed panels again.

Neal, who had made up four seconds on Plato before launching a late bid for victory, spun down to an eventual eighth. Plato escaped for his second win of the day.

Neal then put the disappointment of his race two result behind him with a trouble-free victory. Team-mate Gareth Howell had been drawn on pole position and Neal second but it was Chilton, spectacularly squeezing his car between them at the start, who led into the first corner from third on the grid.

Neal, though, was quick to home in on Chilton and once past quickly built up a lead.

In the closing stages, Thompson, having stormed his way through from eighth on the grid, started to close in but Neal was too far ahead.