Season: 2017-2018

Blaydon vs Sale FC

Sale Survive Again

Sale travelled to the North East at the weekend to play relegation threatened Blaydon at Kingston Park, the home of Newcastle Falcons.

The match got underway in near perfect conditions and the hosts were immediately into their stride on the 4G pitch, throwing the ball about at will to their speedy backs. It was therefore no surprise when they took the lead in the 18thminute as the outside centre picked up a loose ball on halfway and raced away to score.

The response from the blue and whites was almost instantaneous as, from a very strong scrum deep in Blaydon territory, the pack pushed towards the line with Tom Ailes picking up to crash over and level the scores.

However, Blaydon shook off that setback to plunder two more quick tries, the first from a kick through that bounced kindly and the second from another brisk counter attack, to take a healthy interval lead.

HT Blaydon 17 Sale 5

For the second week running, the table toppers were up against it but they got themselves back in the game in the 52ndminute as they took a quick tap penalty with the ball eventually going wide for Jon Blanchard to evade the covering defence.

Momentum then swung the way of the Geordies again as Sam Stelmaszek was shown a yellow card for a tip tackle before the men in red scored a ‘length of the field’ fourth try.

With fifteen minutes remaining, Sale needed a minor miracle to extend their winning run to 20 games but they got themselves a lifeline as Dan Birchall blasted through the defensive line to score following wave after wave of attack.

This seemed to galvanise the visitors and, within five minutes, they took the lead for the first time in the match as they again pulverised the opposition try line before Tom Ailes dived over for his second, and Sale’s fourth try of the game.

With five minutes remaining, Chris Johnson, extended the lead to five points with a penalty from in front of the posts and, with time running out, the blue and whites scored a decisive fifth try as superb attacking play led to Matt Simpson sauntering over from close range.

FT Blaydon 24 Sale 36

For the second week running, Sale were not at their best, but there can be no denying the spirit and dogged determination of this team to find a way to win rugby matches at this crucial stage of the season. Just 3 games now remain with 9 points required for promotion (as finishing level with Sedgley on points we’d still finish top due to wins) but, as Blaydon proved, there are no easy games at this level.

 

24 - 36
Full Time

Sale FC vs Chester

Victory snatched from the jaws of defeat

Seventh placed Chester visited Heywood Road on Saturday looking to put a major dent in Sale’s promotion ambitions and from the kick off, the men in red were on the front foot.

After only four minutes, they found a gap in the home side’s defence with the number 5 eventually scoring in the corner and the fly half, James Robins, adding a fine conversion.

Sale responded almost immediately with Chris Johnson bisecting the posts with a penalty and they then took the lead. Tom Ailes and Sam Stelmaszek made good ground initially before the forwards pummelled the try line and Dan Birchall crashed over for a trademark try.

Rather than having a detrimental effect on the visitors’ morale, this stung them into a quick and positive response as they twice kicked to the corner from penalties and scored tries, the blue and whites failing to stop strong rolling mauls on both occasions.

Chris Johnson kicked another penalty in between those two scores but Sale ended the half under severe pressure and down to fourteen men as Adam Aigbokhae was shown a yellow card.

HT Sale 13 Chester 21

With the away side fully deserving their half time lead, Sale needed to start the second half strongly and they did just that. Jake Pope, on as a replacement, made a bulldozing run to open up the red’s defence and the ball was then thrown wide for Jack Moorhouse to score on his 201stappearance for the club.

Again, this did not deter the men from Chester who pulverised the Sale try line for several minutes, although this time the home side held firm, much to the relief of the sizeable home support.

With ten minutes remaining and their long winning run under severe threat, the hosts put everything into a sustained spell of pressure and, just as Chester looked to have survived, three players combined to charge down an attempted clearance with Jake Barron pouncing on the loose ball to score.

The lead was extended to nine points late on when Chris Johnson opted to kick for the posts from another penalty and this proved to be a wise decision as Chester scored a fourth try in the final minute.

FT Sale 30 Chester 28

As the coaches said afterwards, this was a fantastic game to watch from a neutral perspective but an absolute nightmare from their point of view. Chester fully deserved their two bonus points and had a right to feel disappointed at the final whistle. As for Sale, they dug deep yet again to make sure that their destiny remains in their own hands with a maximum of 15 points now required from the last four games.

In Perspective

  • Chester are the first team this season to put four tries past Sale FC (home or away)
  • This is the biggest score against Sale FC at Heywood Road since we lost to Caldy (26-38) in December 2016
  • This is the highest number of points we have conceded in a game this season (home or away)
  • Only 2 teams have scored more points against us since September 2016
    • South Leicester (39pts) 24th Sep 2016
    • Caldy (38pts)  3rd Dec 2016

 

30 - 28
Full Time

Chester 2 v Sale FC 2

15:00
Preview
0 - 37
Full Time

Sale FC 2 v Caldy 2

15:00
Preview

Wharfedale vs Sale FC

Sale hold their nerve to stay top

The league leaders headed to the Yorkshire Dales on Saturday to play a Wharfedale side narrowly outside the drop zone.

Spurred on by a vocal home crowd, the home side started well, dominating both possession and territory, but Sale survived the early onslaught and gradually found a foothold in the game.

Scrum half, Matt Bradley, seem destined to score the first points of the match, as he followed his own cute grubber kick behind the defence, only to be pulled back by the opposing number 5 who was duly shown a yellow card.

However, the visitors did not have to wait long as, from the resulting lineout, the forwards made an assault on the Yorkshiremen’s try line with centre, Jack Moorhouse, eventually plunging over and Chris Johnson adding the extras.

The remainder of the first half was dominated by the referee’s whistle and a couple of fairly minor scuffles, the last of which saw Gareth Rawlings and Wharfedale’s number 8 leave the field for 10 minutes contemplation time.

HT Wharfedale 0 Sale 7

Playing up the slope in the 2nd half, Sale came out aggressively and were soon awarded a penalty which Chris Johnson stroked over, although the Yorkshiremen were still very much in the game and quickly responded with a penalty of their own.

The decisive moment of the match came via a piece of individual brilliance from winger, Jonty Rawcliffe, who collected an up and under on the half way line, before out-sprinting several opposing players to dive over in the corner. Chris Johnson then added a superb conversion, fist-pumping his way back to the halfway line, much to the ire of the home fans.

Following further successful penalty kicks by both fly halves, Sale’s ambitions of a bonus point win were to be severely hampered as replacement prop, Jon Blanchard, was shown a red card for an apparent head-butt.

However, the dogged defence that has served them so well all season ensured that they saw out the remaining 10 minutes, extending their winning run to a mightily impressive 17 games.

FT Wharfedale 6 Sale 20

With no game the previous week and second placed Sedgley Park securing two bonus point wins, the gap at the top of the table is down to just 2 points, albeit Sale do have an all-important game in hand.

Highlights Video

Jonty and Jake Catch Up with Sale FC Rugby TV

6 - 20
Full Time