Match Centre: Gallagher Premiership: Sale Sharks 20-15 Northampton Saints

Sale Sharks 20-15 Northampton Saints, Salford Stadium

Sale Sharks kick-started their Gallagher Premiership campaign with a closely fought 20-15 victory over Northampton Saints at Salford Stadium on Sunday.

Both clubs had five players apiece missing due to the ongoing World Cup campaign but it was Sale, who emerged victorious after having a 20-10 lead at the half-time.

The Saints had a fiery start to the game as Tom James took an quick penalty as they launched an attack at the end of which Tommy Freeman dived superbly in the corner and Fin Smith kicked the conversion to take them to a 0-7 lead inside two minutes.

Nevertheless, the scores were levelled shortly as Sam James spotted the gap in the Saints' defence before eventually sending Tom Roebuck over the line and Robert du Preez improved it perfectly.

The home side went into the lead for the first time with Tom O'Flaherty diving over after a period of self-sustained pressure but this time du Preez's conversion drifted wide as the scoreline remained at 12-7. Smith had a chance to narrow down the gap in the 19th minute but his three-pointer drifted wide.

Nevertheless, the Northampton fly-half made amends converting his second kick in the 26th minute but his effort was negated with du Preez kicking a three-pointer of his own making it 15-10. At the stroke of half-time, Sale extended their lead to 20-10 after Ethan Caine dotted down following a driving maul.

Both the teams were looking for an early advantage in the second half but the points did not come until the 68th minute when the deadlock broke as Dane Coles created the break for James Ramm to touchdown but Smith's conversion drifted wide. Northampton were desperate to go over the line but Sale managed to keep them quite despite losing du Preez to yellow card in the added minutes.

Team line up:

Sale: Carpenter; Roebuck, S James, Bedlow, O'Flaherty; R du Preez (capt), Quirke; McIntyre, Taylor, Schonert, van Rhyn, Hill, JL du Preez, Dugdale, D du Preez.

Reserves: Caine, Harrison, Harper, Wiese, Beaumont, Warr, Curtis, Reed.

Northampton: Hendry; Freeman, Dingwall (capt), Hutchinson, Ramm; F Smith, T James; E Waller, Langdon, Davison, Moon, Coles, Scott-Young, Pearson, Graham.

Reserves: R Smith, A Waller, Millar Mills, Lockett, Munga, McParland, Grayson, Seabrook.