Sale's Heineken Cup dream remains mathematically alive but realistically all but over after they beat Stade Francais but failed to secure a potentially priceless bonus-point.

Director of rugby Philippe Saint-Andre admitted beforehand the reigning Guinness Premiership champions needed to claim a maximum five-point haul to keep alive their slender hopes.

But Saint-Andre's men did not manage a single try in a tight encounter which saw Stade claim a bonus point of their own to enhance their chances of winning Pool Three.

This victory takes Sale to 10 points but with Stade and Ospreys on 15 and 14 points respectively with two games remaining, the Sharks require a something special if they are to progress into the quarter-finals.

They at least secured victory to keep their hopes alive, but failed to exact true revenge for their defeat against Stade in Paris last Sunday.

The French Championship leaders claimed a 27-16 win at the Parc des Princes in front of 44,110 spectators.

But, in the less salubrious surroundings of Stockport, and missing key winger Christophe Dominici through injury, the Parisians, again sporting shocking pink jerseys, struggled to find their rhythm.

Yet Sale, crippled by injury, were still not able to find a way through a resolute French rearguard.

The Sharks' encouraging start saw them race 12-0 ahead before they stalled and never truly recovered.

Already without long-term-injured quartet Charlie Hodgson, Andrew Sheridan, Jason White and Elvis Seveali'i, Sale were also missing England wing Mark Cueto and French hooker Sebastien Bruno.

However, they made a bright start and wasted no time converting their early dominance into points.

Lee Thomas' penalty eased them into a fifth-minute lead following a powerful burst from Sebastien Chabal and laid the platform for a dominant display in the opening 20 minutes.

Thomas, meanwhile, replaced Daniel Larrechea at fly-half after the Frenchman's pedestrian display in last week's defeat in Paris.

He made the most of his opportunity with a series of clever kicks constantly forcing Stade onto the back foot before his second penalty doubled the hosts' advantage in the 15th minute.

A minute later a superbly-flighted long kick from Thomas forced a line-out deep in French territory and the subsequent pressure led to Chris Bell landing a delightful drop-goal from 30 metres.

A 9-0 lead after just 17 minutes was precisely the start Sale required and when Chris Mayor unceremoniously hauled Stade number 10 Lionel Beauxis to the ground moments later, the tone was firmly set.

Indeed, within 60 seconds Sale's lead was extended as Thomas again showed precision with the boot to claim his third penalty of the afternoon.

Stade showed precious little up until that point but they gradually began to find some rhythm.

A moment of indiscipline from Chabal, Sale's outstanding player in Paris, led to Beauxis converted a penalty in the 27th minute to get Stade off the mark.

However, the visitors sorely missed the attacking threat of Dominici, whose two tries help destroy Sale at the Parc des Princes.

But his loss was offset by the return from injury and illness of outstanding Pumas utility back Ignacio Corletto.

And with Stade having found their collective feet, a spell of sustained French pressure led to a penalty on the stroke of half-time, but Beauxis missed from close to halfway.

He did likewise three minutes after the restart before Thomas erred for the first time after Sale were awarded another penalty in the 56th minute.

There were few noteworthy try-scoring opportunities in a lacklustre second half, but David Skrela landed a penalty in the 77th minute to reduce the gap to six points and hand Stade a bonus point.