Newcastle Edge Sale In Battle Of The North

As Northern Rugby's two top sides clashed on Friday night at the newly named AJ Bell Stadium, Newcastle recorded their first win of the Aviva Premiership with a close 15-14 victory over Sale Sharks.

On a day when Sale’s home ground was renamed from the Salford City Stadium to the AJ Bell Stadium because of a new sponsorship deal, Sale welcomed the recently promoted Newcastle Falcons to Manchester.

After the heroic win away at Gloucester in the Premiership’s opening weekend, Sale were looking to continue their good form and put to rest the memory of last season’s awful start to the season. Newcastle, on the other hand, were looking to record their campaign’s first win after a heavy defeat to Bath in the season’s opening game last Friday.

Sale came out the stronger, posing a real threat to the Falcons side with all of the game’s early running.

Shark’s fly half Nick Macleod had the game’s first opportunity to open the scores in the third minute, but missed a penalty against the uprights. However, the miss was rectified minutes later with a successful attempt. Sale led 3-0.

Despite being second best for the majority of the half, Newcastle managed to level the scores with a penalty from Phil Godman.

Scores exchanged once again with another penalty from Macleod as Sale retook the lead.

Following this the visitor’s Dom Barrow was yellow carded for bringing down a maul, and the extra man advantage showed for Sale as the Sharks pack managed to push Captain Dan Braid over the whitewash for the game’s first try; although, Macleod could not add the difficult conversion attempt.

Godman managed to significantly reduce the gap with two penalties before the break. Sale went back into the changing rooms still in lead with a score of 11-9.

As the sides returned to the field, Newcastle began the stronger and took the lead for the first time on the 48 minute mark with another Godman penalty. However, Sale immediately fought back, winning a penalty; however, Macleod, again, could not convert.

On the hour mark Macleod managed to make amends for his earlier miss with a successful penalty.
Rory Clegg, after replacing Godman, managed to re-take the lead for the visitors 10 minutes later.
In the final period of the match Sale through all they could at the visiting side; however, the Falcons defence managed to stay strong, recording their first win of the season.

Sale were left hoping whether last weekend’s opening round heroics were not just a flash in the pan.
Sale director of Rugby, Steve Diamond, said that "I thought first half we had a lot of ball and tried to do stuff with it, we got a try in the corner, and we just couldn't get away from Newcastle,” when he spoke to BBC Sport after the game.

However, he did admit that in the "second half I thought they were a far better, streetwise team than ourselves, didn't allow us to play and a couple of decisions went against us.

"I'm thoroughly disappointed. That's how it goes, but on their second-half performance I think they deserved their win."

Sale will have to lick their wounds from the weekend’s narrow defeat, as they welcome London Wasps to Manchester on Friday night. Whereas, Newcastle face another difficult match on the road as they face reigning Champions Leicester at Welford Road.

Line-Ups:

Sale: Arscott; Mackenzie, Cueto, Forsyth, Brady; Macleod, Peel; Lewis-Roberts, Jones, Thomas, Mills, Paterson, Braid, Seymour, Gaskell.

Replacements: Cliff for Peel (73), Harrison for Lewis-Roberts (62), Taylor for Jones (55), Cobilas for Thomas (68).

Not Used: Kulemin, Beaumont, Ford, Miller.

Newcastle: A. Tait; Cato, Barnes, Howell, Catterick; Godman, Blair; Montanella, Thompson, Tomaszczyk, McKenzie, MacLeod, Barrow, Welch, Hogg.

Replacements: Clegg for Godman (58), S. Wilson for Montanella (68), Vickers for Thompson (66), Del Fava for Tomaszczyk (54), Brookes for McKenzie (54), M. Wilson for Barrow (57).

Not Used: Fury, Fitzpatrick.