Sharks find some bite

Sale claimed just their second Guinness Premiership win of the season with a 28-23 victory over Gloucester at Edgeley Park.

But life is not getting any easier for Cherry and Whites head coach Bryan Redpath - whose side lost despite outscoring their opponents by three tries to one.

Gloucester's disciplinary problems surfaced again in the 35th minute when the injured Mike Tindall's replacement, Charlie Sharples, was shown a red card and flanker Andy Hazell and prop Paul Doran-Jones were also lost to injury.

Yet despite playing for more than half the match a man short, Gloucester refused to buckle and hauled themselves back into the match in the 66th minute with a converted try from Will James.

Greg Somerville went over with two minutes remaining but it was not enough to avoid a third successive defeat, as Sale eased the pressure on director of rugby Kingsley Jones after a powerful first-half display saw them establish a 16-8 lead and they held on for their first league win since the season's opening weekend.

Charlie Hodgson, who kicked seven penalties and a conversion, got Sale off the mark with a third-minute penalty, but opposite number Nicky Robinson soon drew Gloucester level with a clever drop-goal.

Sale then lost centre Andy Tuilagi to injury in the 12th minute, before Tindall followed him off the field four minutes later.

Authority

As the half wore on, the hosts begun to stamp their authority on proceedings and another penalty from Hodgson restored their lead before they crossed for their only try of the match.

It came in the 28th minute when scrum-half Dwayne Peel showed some neat footwork before a delightful offload sent Lee Thomas racing over the line from 20 metres out.

Hodgson added the extras but three minutes later Gloucester conjured a well-worked try in the left corner, after Tom Voyce burrowed his way over the line.

Robinson could not convert and Hodgson added another penalty before Sharples was sent off for a reckless challenge on Marika Vakacegu.

Robinson cut the gap to five points shortly after the restart with another penalty but Hodgson added two more to put Sale 22-11 ahead by the hour mark.

Sale also lost Jonny Kennedy and Brent Cockbain to injury but, despite having an extra man, they created precious little in the second half.

Back in it

And Gloucester hauled themselves right back into it in the 66th minute when Will James crashed over from close range and Robinson added the conversion to bring his side to within three points.

Yet the pendulum gradually swung back in the hosts' favour as Hodgson expertly landed two late penalties, before Somerville touched down in the right corner to earn his side a deserved bonus point.

As for Tindall, his injury after 16 minutes is another blow for England ahead of the autumn internationals.

The World Cup winner appeared to have suffered a recurrence of the hamstring injury which had ruled him out of Gloucester's previous three matches.