Leicester 35-27 Sale: Tigers up to third after victory over Sharks
Last Updated: 19/11/17 6:08pm
Leicester were made to work hard for their sixth consecutive win in the Aviva Premiership as they prevailed 35-27 over Sale at Welford Road.
In a pulsating clash that ebbed and flowed, the Tigers held on to extend their unbeaten run and move into third position, while Sale had to settle for a try bonus point in an eight-try thriller.
It was the visitors who were quickest out of the blocks with Faf de Klerk adding the opening points of the match, before Leicester hit back through Joe Ford's penalty to level the scores.
The Sharks got the opening try after a lovely chip-kick from Mike Haley found space behind the Tigers' defence and allowed Ben Curry to collect and go over in the corner.
Referee Luke Pearce then awarded the home side a penalty try and sent Curry to the sin-bin for collapsing the maul.
Leicester's young fly-half Ford added a penalty to extend the lead before the Sharks regained the advantage as the visitors worked the phases to create the extra man out wide, allowing Mark Jennings to score, with De Klerk converting.
The Tigers hit back moments later as the pace of their attack caused the Sale defence to be out of position allowing Ellis Genge to go under the posts, with Ford converting for the lead again.
Before the break, the visitors were again back in front through Marland Yarde after his break set up a Sharks attack and he was on hand to be the extra man out wide to go over in the corner, with De Klerk converting for a 22-20 lead at the break.
An early Tigers penalty from Ford put the home side ahead, but Sale got their bonus point with their fourth try of the afternoon when Jono Ross powered over after more good phase work from the Sharks, deep in the Tigers' half.
Leicester edged in front inside the final 15 minutes as Ford's kick to the wing eluded Yarde to find the hands of Gareth Owen who fought over the line for the try, with the conversion added by Ford.
After Yarde was shown a yellow card for a series of high tackles, the Tigers went in search of their bonus-point try and got it thanks to Nick Malouf's late burst in the corner to settle the score in the home side's favour.
