Northampton Saints 38 Sale Sharks 34: Tom Vickers' review and player ratings

Rob du Preez had just slotted a penalty to put the Sharks 15 points up on a day when little seemed to be working for Saints.

But if anyone has learned anything about the black, green and gold over the years it is that however far gone a game may seem, there is still time for the storyline to change significantly.

And at the end of Valentine’s week, Saints somehow came up with the kiss of life, not only for their chances of winning the match but for their season as a whole.

In a league so tight that going into this game they knew they could finish the weekend as high as third or as low as eighth, they faced the prospect of losing to a side who had been forced to play a man down for most of the match.

In fact, for 20 minutes of the second half, Sale were down to 13 men as sin-binnings for Cobus Wiese and Ewan Ashman added to Manu Tuilagi’s 14th minute red card.

Nevertheless, the sinning Sharks did the basics of the game so well, cranking up the heat in the set piece as they laid the foundations for what looked like a superb away win.

But Saints had other ideas, and, crucially, they still had just about enough time after that du Preez penalty.

The home side’s replacements injected new life into the team, with the likes of Sam Graham and Tom Collins coming to the fore.

And in what felt like a blink of an eye in a game that flew by, Saints were all the way back, leading for the first time in this thrilling encounter with three minutes to go.

It was stunning stuff and they then gritted their teeth to deny the Sharks one final push.

Saints sharpened up their game and sharpened their sights on a much-needed win against the league’s second-placed side.

And it was a win they eventually got, taking the full five points on a memorable afternoon at the Gardens.

There does have to be a dose of perspective though, and there surely will be this week.

Saints looked to have left a lot of their best defence at Mattioli Woods Welford Road last month as they were cut apart too easily by Sale during the first half.

And unless they can find a way to limit the damage done by formidable opposition mauls, they will still fall short this season.

They have a huge chance to make amends on Saturday when Gloucester, another team who pride themselves on their maul, come calling.

The Cherry and Whites score so many tries in that area and look unstoppable at times.

That was exactly how Saints made Sale look, and they will know they can ill afford a repeat next weekend.

They must eradicate the stream of penalties that gives opposition sides the chance to launch attacks.

They have played their get-out-of-jail free card, now they have to really make the most of it in the weeks to come - just as they did on their way to booking a play-off place late last season.

It won’t be easy, but it rarely is for a Saints side who typically have their supporters on the edge of their seat and so often on their feet.

How they rated…

GEORGE FURBANK - didn’t really get a chance to make an impact as he was forced off early on with what looked a bad injury. Saints will be hoping for the best.

TOMMY FREEMAN - made things happen when he got the ball in his hands, scoring and creating for his team… 8

MATT PROCTOR - was the master of the leg drive here, gaining valuable ground with his aggression in contact… 7.5

FRASER DINGWALL - CHRON STAR MAN - set the tone with some huge early hits and kept going right to the end, eventually being rewarded with the match-winning try… 8

JAMES RAMM - showcased his athleticism superbly once more, dealing well with high balls and making metres when he got the chance… 8

FIN SMITH - had to hobble off eventually but he had done some good things prior to that, playing his part in some sweeping moves… 7

TOM JAMES - slowed things down on a couple of occasions but was really all-action aside from that as he scored in the first half and showcased his kicking accuracy again… 7.5

ALEX WALLER - led the team out on his 250th Premiership appearance and gave as good as he got… 6

ROBBIE SMITH - did some good stuff and didn’t shy away from the physical battle while ensuring the lineout functioned… 6.5

PAUL HILL - had a tough task up against Bevan Rodd at scrum time but stuck at it… 6

DAVID RIBBANS - a thunderous showing from the lock, who showed he won’t let his move to Toulon affect him… 7.5

ALEX MOON - got through another huge workload as he tried to meet fire with fire… 7

ANGUS SCOTT-YOUNG - not really able to stamp his authority on the match, but he worked hard as usual… 6

AARON HINKLEY - has impressed in recent weeks with so many all-action showings, but this was a quieter day… 6

JUARNO AUGUSTUS - powered forward in trademark fashion time and again, playing a huge part in the recovery mission… 8

Replacements (who played more than 20 minutes)

RORY HUTCHINSON (for Furbank 15) - helped Saints to get into their stride during the second half, even playing at fly-half, showing what an asset he is… 7.5

ETHAN WALLER (for A Waller 50) - carried with force when he got the chance and looked really determined… 7

ALFIE PETCH (for Hill 50) - was certainly up for the fight as he helped Saints to get a foothold in the game… 7

SAM GRAHAM (for Hinkley 52) - this was a really strong cameo from the flanker as he caused Sale problems when he got hold of the ball… 7.5