Match Centre: Sale Sharks 35-26 Leicester Tigers

Sale Sharks 35-26 Leicester Tigers, AJ Bell Stadium

Sale Sharks came up with a stunning second half fightback as they defeated Leicester Tigers 35-26 in the 14th round of the Gallagher Premiership at AJ Bell Stadium on Sunday.

This is fifth win for Sale Sharks in 13 games as they climb to ninth position in the table while Leicester continue to remain at top despite the defeat.

Freddie Burns started the proceedings with a third minute penalty goal in the 3rd minute and 10 minutes later Julian Montoya dived over at the back of a destructive maul and Freddie Burns kicked the conversion to take them to a 0-10 lead.

The response from Sale Sharks came in the 16th minute as full-back Luke James found a way through to the tryline that came off a scrum but AJ MacGinty missed out on the conversion.

Leicester extended their lead further as AJ MacGinty sent a perfect kick allowing Guy Porter to dot down in the 21st minute. Burns missed out on the conversion but landed a penalty goal in the 34th minute as they finished the opening half with a 5-18 lead.

Burns helped Leicester get off the block in the second half with a three-pointer in the 48th minute that extended their lead to 16 points before MacGinty kicked into the corner setting up Ben Curry to crossover at the edge of the maul in the 50th minute and MacGinty also followed with the conversion making it 12-21.

The home side stepped up the accelerator and went on to claim the bonus point as Arron Reed dived in the left corner in the 57th minute and Dan du Preez blocked a kick from Hegarty 40 metres out and recovered quickly to burrow over.

MacGinty kicked the conversion on the second occasion to put Sale in front but the lead was shortlived as Montoya completed his second in the 68th minute but Bryce Hegarty's conversion went wide making it 24-26.

The home side seized the lead back into the game through back to back penalties from MacGinty making it 30-26 before wing Tom Roebuck took possession and ran clear on the right for their fifth try to complete a 35-26 victory.

Team line up:

Sale: L James; Roebuck, R du Preez, Van Rensburg, McGuigan; MacGinty, Cliff; Harrison, Ashman, Oosthuizen; J-L du Preez, De Jager; Ross, Curry, D du Preez.

Reserves: Langdon, McIntyre, Jones, JP du Preez, Dugdale, Warr, S James, Reed.

Leicester: Hegarty; Potter, Scott, Kelly, Porter; Burns, Wigglesworth; Whitcombe, Montoya, Cole; Wells, Green; Martin, Reffell, Wiese.

Reserves: Dolly, Van Wyk, Leatigaga, Liebenberg, Robinson, Van Poortvliet, Socino, Saumaki.