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Sale Sharks 18 Saracens 15

Jenny Dixon
17/ 9/2008

CHARLIE Hodgson snatched victory for Sharks in the final seconds of a tense match against Saracens.

For the second time in a week-old season, Hodgson provided his side with winning points - with a drop goal which brought the 8,321 strong Edgeley Park crowd to their feet.

Five days earlier Hodgson’s try was all that separated Newcastle Falcons and visitors Sharks.

There were no tries on Friday, although Saracens’ flanker Andy Saull got closest only to be denied by a knock-on.

Instead the two teams were locked in a kicking duel between Saracens’ flyhalf Glen Jackson and the combined talents of Luke McAlister and Hodgson.

Jackson gave his side a 9-0 advantage in the first half-hour, benefitting from their monopoly on possession, which prevented Sharks getting anywhere near the 22.

Such was the dearth of chances that when the ball was kicked into touch in Saracens’ 22 it merited a roar of delight from Sale fans deprived of anything finer to celebrate.

Injury to influential scrum-half Neil de Kock, who had to be replaced following a bang to his head sustained during an attempted tackle on winger Rory Lamont, left the rest of Saracens’ team in a mild daze.

The hosts took full advantage, and though Lamont’s gallop was from so deep that he was cut off well before the half-way line, there was at last a glimmer of hope for Sharks.

Released from the confines of their own half Sale’s backs began to make some headway, McAlister an essential component in the awakening backline.

The former All Black slid through a tidy gap between Saracens’ prop Cencus Johnston and lock Steve Borthwick and passed to David Doherty but the move was halted before there was any real threat to Saracens’ tryline.

So it was left to Hodgson to reduce the deficit with two penalties. He missed a chance to level with a third penalty shortly before the break, but the 9-6 scoreline was a healthy one given Sharks’ inferiority for the bulk of the first half.

The hosts opened the second half with more promising play and Hodgson put his team level early on with another successful penalty.

McAlister then converted a long range effort to put Sharks in front for the first time.

However, Saracens continued to cause problems and had two near misses. Richard Wigglesworth did enough to disrupt Saull’s almost certain try, forcing him to knock-on.

But a mammoth team effort was required to successfully defend several scrums close to the tryline that frayed tempers and threatened to deny Sale a home win.

But Saracens could find no way through Sharks’ bullish defence, instead Jackson booted them level with a penalty, and matched McAlister after he posted his second.

The scores were tied on 15-15 as the sides entered 11 minutes of injury time, during which Jackson missed a vital penalty.

But Hodgson capitalised on a late blitz from Sharks, finding the perfect spot from which to send a drop goal soaring through the uprights.