Sharks' brutal late bite

Leeds still searching for first win over Sale

Last updated: 22nd November 2009  

Sharks' brutal late bite

James Gaskell on the burst

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Sale Sharks overturned a 14-point second-half deficit to stop Leeds' resurgence in its tracks.

Carnegie had claimed recent wins over Wasps and Leicester after a woeful start to the season and looked set to ease their relegation fears further with a win over the Sharks.

But Carl Fearns touched down with six minutes remaining to complete a remarkable second-half fightback from Sale and deny bottom club Leeds a first-ever win over their northern rivals.

Leeds thoroughly outplayed Sale in the opening period and converted tries from Lee Blackett and Scott Barrow gave the hosts a deserved 14-3 interval advantage.

Fly-half Ceiron Thomas added a penalty to extend their lead shortly after the restart, but Sale eventually hit back and tries from Ben Cohen and Richard Wigglesworth had them level just before replacement Fearns, 20, claimed the winning score in the 74th minute.

Blackett's third-minute try set the tone for the opening 40 minutes.

After a fine kick into the right corner from Barrow, Leeds won the line-out and a neat short offload from former England scrum-half Andy Gomarsall sent Blackett sprinting over to score.

Thomas landed a tricky conversion and Leeds had an early seven-point cushion.

Punches

Rival captains Dean Schofield and Marco Wentzel traded punches in the eighth minute and the brawl quickly escalated as two more players joined in, but all four players escaped punishment.

Referee Chris White simply lectured Schofield and Wentzel and allowed play to continue.

Sale got themselves off the mark in the 16th minute with a fine long-range penalty from Charlie Hodgson.

In the 23rd minute, Sale number eight Sisa Koyamaibole's reckless high tackle on Leeds playmaker Thomas earned him 10 minutes in the sinbin.

Thomas could not convert the penalty but Leeds continued to look far the brighter.

Hodgson missed a penalty from distance but the momentum remained largely with Leeds and they claimed their second try on the stroke of half-time.

Thomas' fine long pass found Barrow advancing at pace in the right channel and he evaded a couple of challenges to charge over the line.

Thomas added the conversion and then landed another three-pointer six minutes after the restart.

Tempers flared again soon after when Sale hooker Marc Jones and Leeds flanker Calum Clark were shown yellow cards for fighting and Hodgson then missed a routine penalty.

Prominent

However, the Sale playmaker was prominent in a move which stretched Leeds' defence on the hour and culminated in Cohen touching down for a try which Hodgson converted.

Six minutes later, Sale were level when Wigglesworth went clear and Hodgson converted to tie the scores at 17-17.

The momentum was now all with the visitors and it was little surprise when Fearns burrowed his way over from a scrum and Hodgson again added the extras to break Yorkshire hearts.