Bristol hold on as late yellow card costs Sale

Sale Sharks missed the opportunity to return to the Premiership summit after a 22-14 home defeat to Bristol Bears.

Improving Bears prevailed thanks to a hugely impressive all-round performance as they condemned the hosts to defeat on their own patch following 12 straight home league wins.

It’s now three wins in four games for Pat Lam’s Bears, who defended solidly throughout.

As well as being without the injured George Ford, last season’s Premiership finalists Sale got themselves off to a disappointing start.

Bears were clearly intent on continuing their recent decent momentum domestically, and they went in front early.

Some purposeful approach play paved the way for Harry Randall to barge over close to the posts, with ex-Sharks man AJ MacGinty comfortably adding the extras.

Pat Lam’s charges kept possession well, while Sale looked somewhat off the pace.

It was no major surprise when the Bears doubled their lead shortly before the 20-minute mark, and it was another poor try for the hosts to concede.

An attempted box kick from Gus Warr on halfway was charged down by Joe Batley, with the ball bouncing out ideally into the grasp of Gabriel Ibitoye, who charged over the line almost unopposed.

MacGinty converted as the lead stretched to 14-0.

A charge-down at the other end gave Sale a welcome chance to finally break through after half-an-hour.

This time Jonny Hill was the one to profit, as he blocked a Randall kick and was left to nab an easy try, which Rob Du Preez routinely converted.

The score remained 14-7 to the Bears at the interval, largely thanks to Kieran Marmion’s brilliant last-gasp tackle to deny Joe Carpenter in the corner just before the break.

And it was 19-7 to the Bears just two minutes after the restart.

Skipper Steven Luatua expertly off-loaded to Max Malins, and he sailed over in the corner.

Alex Sanderson made a triple change in a bid to re-energise his Sharks team, as they were staring down the barrel with less than half an hour remaining.

However, with the normally influential Warr now also off the field, Bears continued to hold their hosts at bay.

At one point the visitors were forced to defend for their lives following a spell of intense pressure close to the Bears’ line.

The Sharks kept plugging away, but time was running out.

Their determination was eventually rewarded when Augustin Creevy got over at the back of a maul, and fly-half Du Preez’s accurate kick reduced Sale’s deficit back down to just five points.

But a shot to the head by Sale replacement Ben Bamber then proved costly as MacGinty’s penalty made it 22-14, forfeiting a valuable losing bonus point for the hosts.