Harlequins rounded off their home campaign with a Zurich Premiership victory
to keep themselves in with an outside chance of making the play-offs.
Quins have remained unbeaten at The Stoop in 2001, turning round their season
from a potential relegation dog-fight to a position of security and a quest for
cup honours in Europe and at home.
They will go into their two final league matches, away to Wasps and champions
Leicester, with no inferiority complex.
Sale offered little resistance, apart from an occasional dazzling run by
full-back Jason Robinson.
While Quins prospered from playing with a strong wind at their backs in the
first half, they visitors knew they had no chance of clawing back a 19-3 deficit
when they conceded two quick tries after the break.
Quins could even afford the luxury of a triple substitution in the forwards
with 22 minutes to go.
Relentless early pressure led to Garrick Morgan being driven over for the
opening try after four minutes.
Charles Hodgson replied with a penalty, but Paul Burke landed four successful
kicks for Quins by half-time.
The key point of the match was the opening 12 minutes of the second half when
first Daren O'Leary raced in at the corner and then captain David Wilson pounced
from close range.
Sale could not make the conditions work in their favour, and Quins continued
to dominate despite making further changes to their side.
Quins were down to 14 men, having lost lock Steve White-Cooper to injury, when
Sale finally opened their try account through Dave Baldwin with nine minutes to
go.
As the Londoners had used all their forward replacements, they were forced to
send on half-back Craig Chalmers in his place.
Deep into injury time, O'Leary earned Quins a bonus point with his second
try.
Zurich man of the match: Paul Burke
Teams:
Harlequins: Gollings, O'Neill, Jewell, Greenstock, O'Leary,
Burke, M. Powell, Starr, Wood, Olver, Morgan, White-Cooper,
Sanderson, Wilson, Winters, Codling.
Replacements: Friday for M. Powell (70), Dawson for Starr (57),
Codling for Morgan (57), Chalmers for White-Cooper (74),
Jenkins for Sanderson (57), Fuga for Codling (65).
Not Used: Greenwood.
Sale: Robinson, Elliott, Baxendell,
Harris, Davidson, Hodgson,
Redpath, Black, Jackman, Thiel, Lines, Anglesea, Appleyard, Morris, Perelini.
Replacements: Deane for Elliott (59), Little for Hodgson (48),
Knight for Redpath (76), Bell for Black (63),
Titterrell for Jackman (18), Baldwin for Lines (40), Wilks for Appleyard (23).
Att: 5,039
Ref: Steve Leyshon (RFU).
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