Esher 31 Sale FC Rugby 29

Owen hots his Water to sink Sale

Esher 31 Sale FC 29

Courtesy of Nigel Scott for the Rugby Paper.

Anthony Bingham goes airborne against Esher Rugby (c) Leo Wilkinson Photography

Owen Waters’ nerveless conversion gave bottom of the table Esher a pivotal bonus point win over Sale. Esher made the worst possible start, conceding a Robert Povey try after just two minutes, but hit back with a George Simpson try and Waters conversion to make it 7-5 by five minutes.

Both sides tested the other’s defences and it was Esher who scored next, Daniel Rowland finishing off a searing Rob Dudley-Jones break. On the half hour Sale hit back, No.8 Ryan Parkinson going over from close range, and just before half-time Connor Doherty found a big hole to dot down and put Sale 19-14 ahead at the break.

Esher drew first blood in the second half with a Jack Walsh try but a mistake from the kick off let Sale back in, Doherty getting his second try. Esher then gained some ascendancy for 20 minutes, pressing hard. But on 70 minutes a rare Sale attack let Emiliano Calle Rivas score a drop goal to put Sale eight points ahead.

The final swing in the match then went Esher’s way – a Waters penalty cancelling out the drop goal, then a long counter attack saw Joseph Beckett score and Waters add the conversion to put Esher 31-29 ahead at the death and seal a valuable five points.

To watch the match highlights of the game please follow the link here