Sale hold off Saracens

Sale claimed just their fourth Aviva Premiership win of the season as they beat Saracens 28-22 at Edgeley Park.

The Sharks players responded positively to the removal of Mike Brewer as head coach - allegedly the victim of a dressing-room revolt - to shock third-placed Sarries.

And they withstood a spirited second-half fightback from the visitors, who trailed 28-9 at half-time.

Victory ended Sale's run of five consecutive defeats in all competitions and gave new head coach Pete Anglesea his first win.

The Sharks started fast, with new captain Mark Cueto and his predecessor James Gaskell going over in the first 10 minutes and Chris Bell adding a third try before the interval.

Saracens responded after the interval with 13 unanswered points, their only try courtesy of James Short.

Saracens took an early lead via a straightforward Owen Farrell penalty, but Sale soon struck back, moving the ball left before Paul Williams chipped through for Cueto to score in the left corner.

The hosts continued to press and Gaskell burrowed over on the left five minutes later, with the score confirmed after lengthy deliberation from the video referee. Charlie Hodgson had missed his first conversion attempt but this time slotted a simpler kick.

Lead extended

The fly-half then extended Sale's lead to 12 points with a penalty from an identical position.

Having struck the posts with a drop-kick in the immediate build-up, Hodgson added a third kick from almost the same spot and another from in front of the posts.

It got even better for the Sharks as they attacked down the right and fed Bell, who broke Goode's tackle before going over, with Hodgson adding the extras.

Saracens finally worked their way into the opposition 22 and were rewarded with a penalty which Farrell knocked over from in front of the posts. He added another central kick, albeit from further out, to make it 28-9 at the interval.

The opening minutes of the second half were distinguished only by a Hodgson drop-goal attempt which sailed wide, before Saracens made four changes 13 minutes into the half, including taking off Lions star Gavin Henson, who had made little impact in his first start for almost two years.

Sale number eight Sisa Koyamaibole was fortunate to go unpunished for a late tackle on Farrell and, from a later penalty in front of the posts, the stand-off kicked the half's first points.

Cueto hobbled off midway through the half and Saracens scored from a flowing move down the left, with Short shimmying his way past the last defender to score under the posts.

Farrell converted and his fifth penalty five minutes from time set up a nervy finish for the Sharks fans, but their side held firm to send a majority of the 8,646-strong crowd home happy.