Aviva Premiership: Sale Sharks hand Worcester another defeat
Sale piled more pressure on winless Worcester as they claimed a 26-10 bonus-point win at AJ Bell Stadium on Friday.
Last Updated: 22/11/13 10:39pm
Mark Cueto, James Gaskell, captain Dan Braid and Tom Arscott were the try-scorers for Sale, who had lost their last two matches at home.
Ofa Fainga'anuku scored a consolation try for Worcester from a rolling maul but the result leaves the Warriors nine points adrift at the bottom of the Aviva Premiership table and still looking for their first league win of the season.
The first-half was a hard-fought affair, with tempers fraying as a possible try for Sale was turned down by television match official David Grasshoff.
Worcester, who picked up a morale-boosting win over Cardiff Blues in the LV= Cup two weeks ago, then moved into the ascendancy as an Ignacio Mieres penalty put them 3-0 up after 17 minutes.
Worcester full-back Chris Pennell then made a good break upfield, but a turnover ball in the Sale 22 and a quick offload from Cipriani set up a counter-attack which resulted in the first try of the game.
Centre Will Addison kicked a superb chip to the left wing and the onrushing Cueto raced over, with Danny Cipriani adding the conversion.
Injuries
Try-scorer Cueto, who had his right thigh heavily strapped during Cipriani's missed penalty kick, left the field with seven minutes of the first half remaining and was replaced by Mark Jennings.
As the clock ticked down to half-time, Sale wing Arscott made a good covering tackle to deny Worcester a try, with the home side leading 7-3 at the break.
Sale also lost prop Henry Thomas early in the second half to injury but kep coming forward, although the decision to kick a penalty into the corner did not yield the try they hopes for.
The Sharks were over the line moments later, however, Cipriani offloaded to Michael Patterson, who then worked it along the line for No 8 Gaskell to cross for a try.
Cipriani added the conversion as Sale moved 14-3 ahead, and the hosts scored their third try in the 57th minute when flanker Braid crossed in a driving maul, Cipriani again adding the extras.
Worcester refused to lie down, though, with Fainga'anuku going over from a rolling maul and Pennell slotting over the conversion.
It was not enough to earn the Warriors anything from the game, and Sale added the gloss to their win when Arscott crossed to secure maximum points before Worcester had a late try disallowed.