Sale close on Cup spot

Sale and Gloucester fight it out

Sale took a huge step towards a lucrative Heineken Cup spot by winning their crucial clash with rivals Gloucester 24-19 at Kingsholm.

Both teams are battling it out to finish in sixth place in the Aviva Premiership and grab a much sort-after place in Europe's top competition next season.

And it looks like the Sharks who may have dealt the final blow got Gloucester's chance as they bagged a tenth win of the season.

Sale scored two tries from full-back Rob Miller along with 14 points from the boot of fly-half Nick Macleod, while the Cheery and Whites responded with a Charlie Sharples try and four penalties and a conversion from number 10 Freddie Burns.

As if the European qualification was not enough of an incentive for both teams, the match took on extra significance after Gloucester head coach Bryan Redpath surprisingly resigned in midweek, with rumours he could be heading to Sale.

Brawl

And the tension of the match spilled over within minutes of kick-off as home wing James Simpson-Daniel was bumped into touch metres from the Sale line, prompting a mass brawl to break out on the touchline.

That ended with Gloucester flanker Akapusi Qera and Miller getting 10 minutes in the sin-bin.

The lively start did not end there as both Burns and Macleod got their accounts off the mark with a penalty each, and both sides looked to run the ball across their backs.

And, within the space of a minute, both teams scored converted tries. Sale were first as centre Will Addison flipped a neat pass to full-back Miller to cut inside and go over near the posts.

Straight from the restart, Sharks lock Andrei Ostrikov dropped the ball on his left and allowed Sharples to snaffle possession and race over.

Gloucester went into the interval with a six-point lead as Burns landed two more penalties in the closing minutes of the half.

Burns kicks

The hosts looked to be in the driving seat when Burns popped over his third penalty in 14 minutes to put them nine points clear but England wing Mark Cueto slipped in Miller through a midfield gap and he raced over for his second touchdown.

Suddenly the boot was on the other foot as Sale pressed further. Ex-England prop Andy Sheridan was a powerhouse in the loose and, when home prop Dan Murphy dropped a scrum, Macleod booted his second penalty to bring his side back to within a point.

And, when Macleod was handed the chance to boot for goal with the wind at his back from the halfway line, he made no mistake and put his side back in front at a crucial time.

Macleod dropped a goal from 15 metres with five minutes left, which left Gloucester needing a converted try to win.

They had one last chance when a move in the Sale half came to lock Alex Brown but the former England second row dropped the pass and the Sharks celebrated their vital victory.