Sale FC vs Leicester Lions

Recap

Lions overcome Dogs in monsoon conditions

Sale FC headed back to Heywood Road after two defeats on the road to take on a Leicester Lions side looking for only their second win of the season.

The game began in heavy rain and a strong wind, but the Dogs were in front an early as the 5th minute when hooker, Josh Brown, was the beneficiary of a strong maul to the line; Will Hunt added a fine conversation from out wide. 7-0

The visitors then began to dominate territory and levelled matters in the 17th minute with a pushover try of their own through hooker, Oliver Taylor; Theo Mannion made no mistake with the extras. 7-7

The Lions continued to be the better side as conditions worsened but it was Sale who ended the half in front through another Brown try from a  superb catch and drive. HT 12-7

The weather at the start of the second period verged on apocalyptic and it didn’t take long for the away side to reduce the arrears via a 35m penalty kick from Mannion. 12-10

Leicester had dominated the scrum almost all afternoon and when the ref’s arm went up in their favour for the umpteenth time in the 65th minute, Brown was shown a yellow card.

This proved critical as the visitors built up a head of steam, eventually taking the lead when birthday boy, Charlie Davies, squeezed through a gap to score, 12-15

Sale got themselves within sight of the whitewash in the dying embers of the game but the Lions defended superbly to earn a hard-fought win. FT 12-15

A third defeat in a row for the Dogs and plenty to work on ahead of the trip to Bishops Stortford in two weeks time.