Sale moved off the bottom of the Gallagher Premiership with a 20-7 win over Newcastle at the AJ Bell.
The Sharks’ trailed 7-3 at half-time thanks to a Will Welch try for the Falcons, but three tries in a wonderful second-half performance saw them overhaul the deficit and means they move above their opponents in the table.
James Phillips would instigate the comeback early in the second period, powering his way over after a spell of sustained pressure from the hosts. AJ MacGinty converted to give Sale the lead.
Bryn Evans added a second with fifteen minutes remaining, dotting down unopposed in the left-hand corner. Before five minutes later Rohan Janse van Rensburg completed the turnaround, shaking off a couple of Newcastle defenders to slide over the line in front of the delirious Sharks supporters.
MacGinty would fail to add the extras on both occasions, but it made little difference as Newcastle were condemned to their fifth defeat of the season.
The Falcons certainly did not help themselves, spending part of the second-half with thirteen men on the field.
Logovi’i Mulipola the first to be yellow carded, whilst his team were still ahead, for impeding Marland Yarde as he looked set to receive a pass which may well have seen him score.
Mulipola’s teammate Michael Young joining him in the sin-bin just after Sale’s first try for a high tackle on Byron McGuigan, the Sharks winger being held up just short of the line. Just one of a number of occasions where Steve Diamond’s men could have added further scores.
The Sharks’ onslaught coming after a physical first-half where neither team were able to really make the most of the opportunities they created.
A mixture of handling errors and excellent defensive work at the ruck the main reason for this. Tom Curry unsurprisingly causing havoc for the Sharks’, the England flanker enjoying a fabulous afternoon in the loose.
It would not be until the 33rd minute that points were put on the board. MacGinty converting a simple penalty in front of the posts after Josh Strauss had barnstormed his way into the Newcastle 22.
However, the Falcons would respond almost immediately. Captain Welch pushing his way over from short range for the first try of the game. Joel Hodgson, who had looked threatening since coming on for Toby Flood converting the score as Newcastle headed in at the interval with the lead.
Though Sale would take over after half-time to record their second win of the season.
The only downside of a brilliant afternoon of rugby at the AJ Bell, a nasty injury to Yarde which Steve Diamond confirmed was as bad as it looked.
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