Northampton Saints became the latest Premiership side to leave empty handed from Sale Sharks' fortress Edgeley Park.

Unbeaten at home this season, Sharks enter the New Year still top of the Guinness Premiership table after a convincing 34-14 victory over the depleted Saints side.

Hampered by injuries to key players, with Ben Cohen, Sean Lamont, Steve Thompson, captain Carlos Spencer and David Quinlan all missing, Northampton did little to worry Sharks' full strength team.

The boot of England fly-half Charlie Hodgson proved decisive in Sharks' victory posting seven penalties, while rival kicker Bruce Reihana failed to capitalise on Sale infringements, sending four kicks off target.

The first-half kicking duel was punctuated by a superb try from Sale winger Chris Mayor. Hodgson lifted a high cross-field kick to an unmarked Mayor who enjoyed a unhindered sprint to score in the corner.

Saints' injury problems were compounded early in the match, when prop Pat Barnard limped off in the fourth minute, replaced by Chris Budgen. Reihana failed to post his first penalty which could have given the visitors an early lead, Sale instead opening the scoring with a Hodgson penalty three minutes later.

The Mayor try followed and, though Hodgson missed the conversion, the number 10 soon made up for it posting two long-range penalties, giving Sale a healthy 14-point lead within 17 minutes.

Paul Diggin, who made his first start for Saints at the Stockport ground just over a year ago, made a break that earned Northampton their first points of the game, a penalty struck by Reihana.

Saints did manage a spell of pressure, which twice took them within inches of the tryline, but Sharks' defence held firm leaving Saints to settle for three points from a penalty.

Despite Sale being reduced to 14 men, when centre Robert Todd was sin-binned just before the interval, Saints could only manage a third Reihana penalty and Hodgson's fourth penalty made it 17-9 at half-time.

The visitors did not enjoy the best start to the second half with Damien Browne sent to the bin within eight minutes of the restart.

With a one-man advantage Sale forwards took over the try-scoring duties. A powerful drive by Sharks ending with Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe touching down for a try which Hodgson converted.

The Saints were not downhearted and good handling allowed Luke Myring to break through the home side's defensive cover.

A third try from Sharks, scored by substitute Sebastien Bruno, and five more points from the boot of Hodgson (a conversion and a fifth penalty) gave Sale a 20-point lead.

Saints then spent a long period threatening inside the Sharks 22, denying the home side time to grab a bonus point.