A hat-trick of tries from Mark Cueto was enough to see Sale make amends for last Saturday's Powergen Cup final defeat when they beat Newcastle by 25 points at Edgeley Park.
With the Falcons having already qualified for next season's Heineken Cup this was a game Sale had to win if they were to join them, and certainly for most of this Zurich Premiership encounter they showed the most hunger.
Not that Newcastle just went through the motions as they competed right to the end and never made life easy for their hosts.
Cueto's efforts apart it was the pack, superbly driven on by Pete Anglesea, that forged the victory.
Sale started badly, the kick-off not going 10 metres and a knock-on put the home side under pressure in their own 22.
A drive from the scrum and a drop goal from Tom May gave Newcastle the lead after two minutes.
A penalty by Charlie Hodgson levelled matters after Chris Mayor and Anglesea had made ground.
With Sale now increasing the tempo Hodgson crossed for a try after Andrew Sheridan had been held short.
Hodgson converted, but Newcastle came back from the restart with a break by Dave Walder and with Sale penalised the outside half obliged.
Sale now had control of the forward battle and electing to scrum a penalty 10 metres out from the Newcastle line Cueto provided the extra man on the left to score wide out.
Sale attacked again from the restart and a beautifully floated kick by Hodgson was caught on the full by Cueto who coasted under the posts for his second, Hodgson slotting the easiest of conversions.
In the closing minutes it was Sale again but a surge by the pack was held up over the line as they led 22-6 at half-time.
A try by Phil Dowson from a catch and drive brought Newcastle back into it the game, Walder converting.
But with Sale taking play back up to the Newcastle 22, Hodgson charged down Walder's clearance kick only to be recalled for a knock-on.
The a second penalty from Walder narrowed the gap further.
Sale rode the storm and after a drive had been held up over the line a great pass from Hodgson sent Cueto in for his third, the outside half converting from the touchline.
Steve Hanley brought up the fifth after Mayor was tackled short following a powerful run through the Newcastle defence.
And to round off a satisfactory evening for the Sharks, Scott Benton was on hand to score after Matt Cairns had powered his way to the line, Mike Hercus adding the extras to complete the scoring for the home side.
Teams
Sale Sharks: Robinson, Cueto, Mayor, Going, Hanley, Hodgson, Wigglesworth, Sheridan, Titterell, Stewart, Day, White, Anglesea, Sanderson, C. Jones.
Replacements: C. Rhys Jones for Going (56), Hercus for Hodgson (80), Benton for Wigglesworth (80), Cairns for Titterell (62), Turner for Stewart (62), Perrett for Sanderson (40), Schofield for C. Jones (47).
Tries: Hodgson, Cueto 3, Hanley, Benton.
Cons: Hodgson 3, Hercus.
Pens: Hodgson.
Newcastle: Lilley, May, Noon, M. Wilkinson, Stephenson, Walder, Grindal, Peel, Thompson, Ward, Hamilton, Grimes, Dunbar, Dowson, Vyvyan.
Replacements: Gollings for Lilley (38), Godman for M. Wilkinson (74), Isaacson for Peel (67), Makin for Thompson (56), Buist for Grimes (77), Parling for Dunbar (58).
Not Used: Charlton.
Sin Bin: Grindal (27).
Tries: Dowson.
Cons: Walder.
Pens: Walder 2.
Drop Goals: May.
Att: 9,486
Ref: Roy Maybank (RFU).
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