Sale shoot down Bath

Charlie Hodgson kicked Sale Sharks to a 25-10 victory over Bath at Edgeley Park, but an injury to Sebastien Chabal on his return from World Cup duty soured the EDF Energy Cup win.

The Sharks were trounced by Cardiff in their Group B opener but they replied in style with a powerful display against Bath to end the visitors' five-game winning run.

France's flamboyant number eight was back in the Sale side after his World Cup participation, and he was bulldozing his way through the Bath ranks until a neck injury ended his night after 20 minutes.

The injury soured what was a superb display by Philippe Saint-Andre's as they put them back into the frame for reaching the quarter-finals of the EDF Energy Cup.

Fly-half Hodgson again proved to be Sale's hero with 20 points coming from his boot in a flawless kicking display.

England prop Andrew Sheridan also made a telling impact on his first appearance of the season, as did Argentina's Lobbe brothers, Juan Fernandez and Iganacio Fernandez.

Hodgson got Sale on the board after just six minutes with a fine drop-goal, before two penalties put Sale 9-0 ahead after 16 minutes of dominance.

Bath got back into the game though on 20 minutes with a penalty from fly-half Shaun Berne, while Chabal's injury moments later also served as a blow to the hosts.

Hodgson's boot

Hodgson kicked another penalty on 37 minutes and just before half time Steve Hanley chipped and chased, before offloading to Chris Bell who scored easily in the corner for a 16-3 lead at the break.

Hodgson kicked a fourth penalty five minutes into the second half, but soon after Bath got right back into the argument when prop Lorne Ward squeezed in at the corner after a rolling maul.

A fifth penalty from Hodgson just after the hour mark saw Sale move 15 points ahead as they increased the pressure but without scoring any more tries.

Replacement Mike Baxter was sin-binned for Bath late on for a high tackle on Silio Martens, and Sale were able to cruise to the victory.