Sharks sinking without a trace

Champions Sale lost their second game in a row as Newcastle won 26-18

Guinness Premiership, Sale v Newcastle, Edgeley Park, Friday November 17, 7.45pm

James Hoyle came back to haunt his former club as his try helped Newcastle inflict a second straight defeat on Sale at Edgeley Park on Friday night, with the Falcons winning 26-18.

The reigning champions have been struggling after losing key men during the autumn internationals, and they registered a second successive Premiership defeat against the Falcons.

The hosts again failed to score a try for the third match in a row as they missed the chance to put pressure on the Premiership leaders.

Newcastle themselves were without Toby Flood, Jamie Noon and Matthew Tait on international duty, but managed to get over the try line through Hoyle and Mike McCarthy, while Matthew Burke's boot added 16 points.

Burke put the visitors ahead with a penalty after just a minute, but Daniel Larrechea levelled up proceedings just a couple of minutes later with the first of his five penalties.

Larrecha added two more penalties to Burke's one but, trailing 9-6, Newcastle then went ahead with their first try scored by McCarthy.

Lee Dickson's quick penalty eventually found its way to Burke who offloaded to McCarthy down the left with two men to spare out wide.

Falcons lock Andy Perry was sin-binned four minutes before the interval and Larrecha's fourth penalty reduced the deficit to just 16-12 at half time.

After another Larrecha penalty cut the gap to just one, what proved to be the crucial try came for Newcastle in the 52nd minute.

Burke's hanging cross-field kick was collected by Hoyle ahead of Oriol Ripol and he touched down against his former side to stretch Newcastle's advantage.

Ben Woods was yellow carded for Sale but substitute Lee Thomas again cut the gap with a penalty seven minutes before the end.

Newcastle kept calm though and another Burke penalty late on sealed the victory and Sale's frustrations come through as Sharks replacement Stuart Turner was sent off for tangling with Brent Wilson.

A first away win of the season improves Newcastle's position in the Premiership table but sees Sale lose more ground on the leaders as their title defence stutters.