Match Centre: Gallagher Premiership: Sale 37-31 Harlequins
Ben Curry was one of the try scorer for Sale Sharks
©Steve Haag
Sale 37-31 Harlequins, Salford Community Stadium
Sale Sharks have boosted their chances of play-off in the ongoing Gallagher Premiership as they edged out Harlequins 37-31 in the latest round at Salford Community Stadium on Sunday.
Sale now have 42 points in 15 games and are positioned sixth with Bristol and Harlequins are at fourth and fifth place with 45 and 44 points respectively. This is also third defeat for the Quins in the last four Premiership games.
It took Sale just two minutes to open their account as Ben Curry went over at the back of a maul and George Ford followed with a conversion to make it 7-0. The home side extended their lead further as Sam Dugdale collected a pass from Jean-Luc du Preez to touchdown. Ford missed out on the conversion but made amends with a penalty goal in the 16th minute to make it 15-0.
The visitors finally opened their account in the 23rd minute with Louis Lynagh collecting a wide pass to cross over and in the 35th minute he completed his second try with Tyrone Green offloading this time. Marcus Smith missed both the conversions as the scoreline remained at 15-10.
At the stroke of half-time, Arron Reed celebrated his 100th appearance making use of a long pass from Curry to dive over and Ford's conversion meant Sale completed the opening half with a 22-10 lead.
Ford with an early penalty goal helped Sale off the block in the second half before Cadan Murley completed his 50th Harlequins try in the 48th minute reducing the arrears to eight points. Sale suffered a setback when Ben Bamber was sin-binned and the Quins made use of the numerical advantage with Oscar Beard diving from close range in the 56th minute to make it a one point game.
Back to back tries from Raffi Quirke and Reed provided Sale a cushion of comfort with a 37-24 lead which proved enough despite a late try for the Quins from Luke Northmore as the home side completed a thrilling six point victory.
Team line up:
Sale: Carpenter; Roebuck, R du Preez, Tuilagi, Reed; Ford, Warr; Rodd, Cowan-Dickie, Harper, Wiese, Beaumont, Curry, Dugdale, JL du Preez.
Reserves: Taylor, McIntyre, John, Bamber, Andrews, Quirke, James, O'Flaherty.
Harlequins: Green; Lynagh, Beard, Esterhuizen, Murley; Smith, Porter; Marler, Riley, Lewis, Herbst, Lewies, Cunningham-South, W Evans, Dombrandt.
Reserves: Walker, Baxter, Kerrod, Hammond, Lawday, Care, J Evans, Northmore.
