Beaten Saints pin hopes on Challenge Cup
Sale Sharks 24 Northampton Saints 18
Northampton Saints' hopes of playing Heineken Cup rugby next season now all hinge on the European Challenge Cup.
Despite a spirited effort, Sale stormed back in the second half to get the five points they wanted and with Wasps beating Gloucester, Saints miss out on seventh place in the Guinness Premiership.
It wasn't enough for Sale to get into the play-offs either as results didn't go their way, but it was a fitting farewell for their departing players.
On a virtual beach after Stockport played football at Edgeley Park the previous night, Saints won the first penalty after seven minutes, but from 5m in Stephen Myler was well wide.
Six minutes later Charlie Hodgson was given the chance to open Sale's account from 30m, but he kicked to the corner.
Nothing came from the forwards, but Matthew Tait and Charlie Hodgson worked an overlap only for Chris Ashton to wrap up Nick MacLeod and stop the attack.
A great kick from Mark Cueto got Sale into Saints' 22 as the home side stole the lineout and Joe Ansbro was lucky to stay on the field after spearing Richard Wigglesworth, but Hodgson again kicked to the corner.
This time it worked, Saints stopped the maul, but with virtually the whole pack on the floor, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe simply picked up the ball and marched over the bodies. Hodgson missed the touchline conversion but it was 5-0 to Sale after 24 minutes.
Possession was shared pretty evenly in the first quarter, but Saints were failing to get through the Sale defence. The pressure did bring a penalty in front of the posts 42m out, which Myler landed to make it 5-3 after 28 minutes.
And five minutes later Saints did get through after steeling a lineout in Sale's 22 and after going left, Myler popped a pass to a charging Neil Best for the Irishman to steam through under the posts from 15m. Myler converted to make it 10-5 to Saints.
Sale came storming back and Ashton was handed a yellow-card on 36 minutes when the full-back slapped down a quick lineout on his 22.
And off a bullocking run from prop Eifion Roberts, Matthew Tait then stepped beautifully round Paul Diggin, but threw his pass into touch.
With Saints still a man down Hodgson finally decided to go for the posts with a penalty but missed from halfway to end the half.
Straight after the break Myler had a shot at the posts from well over 50m with the wind behind him, but pulled it wide.
Lion Andrew Sheridan came on after 45 minutes to bulldoze within a metre, but for the second time in the game Sean Lamont stepped out of the line to kill an overlap and give Saints some respite in their 22.
But the pressure told as Richard Wigglesworth charged off a ruck 5m out and was brilliantly stopped by Ansbro, but Roberts picked up to dive over for Sale's second try. Hodgson missed the conversion to leave the scores level at 10-10.
Sale were fired up now and from another penalty to the corner lock Dean Schofield charged over from 10m. Hodgson landed the conversion and with three tries it was 17-10 to Sale.
But amidst the maelstrom Myler thumped over a 51m penalty to make it 17-13 after an hour.
The game was getting frantic, but Saints' Courtney Lawes danced down a touchline and flipped a pass out the back of the hand to Christian Day, only for the replacement lock to be pushed into touch a metre short.
Saints got back into Sale's 22, but a bad pass saw replacement wing Selorm Kuadey break up field. Ansbro brought him down superbly, but on the visitors' 22 Matthew Tait somehow wriggled through three Saints, sped past Foden and touched down for Sale's fourth try. Hodgson converted to make it 24-13.
But Saints hadn't given in with an attack going backwards, Lamont picked up a loose ball and sped round the outside and down the left touchline to go over from 30m, but Barry Everitt missed the conversion to leave Sale 24-18 ahead.
Time ran out on Saints as they searched for another try to leave the travelling fans looking forward to next Friday's European Challenge Cup semi-final at the Gardens.
Att: 9,724
Sale Sharks – Macleod; Cueto, M Tait, Tuilagi (Keil, 49mins), Ripol (Kuadey, 66mins); Hodgson, Wigglesworth (Peel, 65mins); Faure (Sheridan, 45mins), Bruno, Roberts (Turner 73mins), Chabal, Schofield (D Tait, 70mins), Jones (White, 58mins), Briggs, Fernandez Lobbe (capt).
Northampton Saints – Ashton (Dickson, 60mins); Diggin, Ansbro, Clarke (Mayor, 63mins), Lamont; Myler (Everitt 73mins), Foden; Tonga'uiha, Sharman (Gray, 60mins), Stewart (Smith, 60mins), Fernandez Lobbe (Day, 62mins), Lawes, Best, S Gray, Easter (Hopley 63mins).
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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