Sale Sharks picked up their first ever win at their new Edgeley Park ground
with a much improved performance against Leeds in the Zurich Premiership.
Before this important fixture for both sides, Sharks had failed to win at home
this season and Leeds were similarly without success on their travels.
Sharks gained the initial advantage with a powerful forward drive which took
them to within sight of their opponents' line, before the ball was slipped out
wide where centre Graeme Bond forced his way over.
Leeds were not behind for long, after a string of missed tackles gave
full-back Dan Scarbrough a clear run to touch down - and Duncan Hodge added the
extras to put the Tykes in front.
Bond nearly found his way through again after 22 minutes but was hauled down
just short of the line and was stopped again just minutes later as the home side
piled on the pressure.
Something had to give, and it was Charlie Hodgson - starting his first game
for eight months for the Sharks since his knee injury playing for England
against Italy in March - who dummied and dived over.
Braam Van Straaten added the extras against his former club, and Leeds fell
further behind when second row Iain Fullarton curled out a long pass which Matt
Cairns gathered to score in the corner.
Steve Hanley was next over for Sharks to claim the fourth try and bonus point,
Van Straaten finishing the half with a penalty.
Four minutes into the second half Van Straaten extended Sale's lead with
another penalty.
But Leeds upped their game and pinned Sale back in their half until Phil
Christophers nipped over for a try after Sale scrum-half Mick Walshe had been
sin-binned.
Leeds pushed harder for another try. But Sale broke clear, and Vaughan Going
went under the posts for a try as the ball passed through six different pairs of
hands.
Leeds fought back again, and their case was helped when Kevin Yates became the
second Shark to be shown the yellow card.
All the Leeds pressure finally resulted in a try for Clive Stuart-Smith - but
they came away without even a bonus point for their efforts.
Teams:
Sharks: Going, Cueto, van Straaten, Bond, Hanley, Hodgson,
Walshe, Sheridan, Cairns, Stewart, Fullarton, Schofield,
A. Sanderson, Pinkerton, C. Jones.
Replacements: Baxendell for van Straaten (75),
Mayor for Bond (80), Wigglesworth for Walshe (80),
Yates for Sheridan (52), Titterell for Cairns (52),
Turner for Stewart (55), Lund for A. Sanderson (74).
Sin Bin: Walshe (61), Yates (77).
Tries: Bond, Hodgson, Cairns, Hanley, Going.
Cons: van Straaten 3.
Pens: van Straaten 2.
Leeds: Scarbrough, Rees, Davies, Botham, Christophers, Hodge,
Walker, Shelley, Rawlinson, Powell, Murphy, Morgan, Salter,
Ponton, Hyde.
Replacements: Cardey for Davies (40),
Stuart-Smith for Walker (53), Halford for Powell (72),
Persico for Hyde (40).
Not Used: Holt, Walsh, Hooper.
Sin Bin: Salter (26).
Tries: Scarbrough, Christophers, Stuart-Smith.
Cons: Hodge 3.
Att: 3,367
Ref: Rob Goodliffe (RFU).
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