Sale twice recovered from an apparently hopeless position to advance into the Parker Pen Shield final after a pulsating battle with Gloucester at Franklin's Gardens.

Trailing by 13 points after 30 minutes, Sale also had to suffer the embarrassment of club mascot 'Sharkey' being forced out of the stadium by six stewards after an altercation with the Gloucester supporters in the far corner.

After opting to take off his costume and watch the rest of the game rather than find himself turfed onto the streets of Northampton altogether, 'Sharkey' was able to gain the sweetest of revenge as Sale launched their mammoth comeback.

But when the hard work had been done with 28 unanswered points, Sale allowed Gloucester back into the game.

And the Kingsholm team trailed by just one point when Ludovic Mercier was given the chance to win the game with a close-range penalty two minutes from time.

The normally deadly accurate French fly-half lined up but the dragged his effort to the right of the posts.

He was inconsolable at the final whistle, when he was hugged warmly by coach Nigel Melville and opposing skipper Bryan Redpath.

For once, Jason Robinson found himself overshadowed.

The Lions full-back didn't have the most impressive afternoon, making a series of handling blunders.

But he was rescued by wing duo Mark Cueto and Steve Hanley.

The wide pair managed to take advantage of two missed tackles by Koli Sewabu to bring Sale level by the break.

Charlie Hodgson was having a poor afternoon with the boot and failed to convert either chance.

And the England stand-off missed again shortly after the interval when hooker Charl Marais took Hanley's return pass and bulldozed his way over.

Hodgson had more luck when Harris took Cueto's pass to score and when he added a further penalty to increase the Sale lead.

But back came the Cherry and Whites, James Forrester crashing over in the corner and when Terry Fanolua burrowed his way over for his second try, Gloucester were rampant.

They had already inflicted two heavy defeats on their opponents in the Zurich Premiership this season on the back of a massive advantage in the pack.

And in the opening stages it appeared as though their forwards would again hold sway.

It was a third-minute line-out drive which created the space for centre Fanolua to blast home.

Mercier converted, then landed two further penalties as Gloucester took command.

For half an hour the onslaught continued and one more try would surely have seen Sale crack.

Somehow they held on, only to find themselves in an even worse position as Mercier lined up his last-minute chance to win the game. Sale survived again, which is more than could be said of their mascot.

Teams:

Gloucester: Catling, O'Leary, Fanolua, Todd, Simpson-Daniel, Mercier, Gomarsall, Woodman, Azam, Vickery, Cornwell, Pearce, Forrester, Sewabu, Paramore. Replacements: Paul for Catling (74), Albanese for O'Leary (42), Collazo for Woodman (51), Fortey for Azam (74), Fidler for Pearce (51), Boer for Sewabu (51).

Not Used: Pucciarello.

Tries: Fanolua 2, Forrester.

Cons: Mercier 3.

Pens: Mercier.

Drop Goals: Mercier.

Sale: Robinson, Cueto, Shaw, Harris, Hanley, Hodgson, Redpath, Yates, C. Marais, Turner, Fullarton, C. Jones, A. Sanderson, Pinkerton, Anglesea.

Replacements: Deane for Harris (77), Black for Turner (69), Wilkes for A. Sanderson (62).

Not Used: Dickens, Baxendell, Giacheri, Jackman.

Tries: Cueto, Hanley, C. Marais, Harris.

Cons: Hodgson.

Pens: Hodgson 2.

Att: 5,785

Ref: N Whitehouse (Welsh RFU).