Watch: Arron Reed's last-minute winning try for Sale versus Bath

Arron Reed scored a last-minute try as Sale earned a dramatic 30-27 Gallagher Premiership win over a resilient Bath side who saw three men receive yellow cards at the AJ Bell Stadium. Visiting captain Ben Spencer’s 17 points had put Bath on the cusp as they fought back from 22-3 down to lead 27-25 before Reed dived over in the corner.

First-half tries from Joe Carpenter, Sam Dugdale, Tom Roebuck and Tommy Taylor had put the hosts in control, though Niall Annett’s try on the stroke of half-time offered the visitors some hope. Jonathan Joseph’s try continued the Bath fightback and despite yellow cards to both Max Ojomoh and Cameron Redpath, Spencer’s conversion of his own try saw the visitors lead only for Reed’s late Sale score to snatch the full five points.

Bath’s night at the AJ Bell Stadium got off to a dreadful start with Will Butt sent to the sin bin for dangerous play as full-back Carpenter tried to claim a high ball with barely a minute on the clock.With the man advantage, Sale soon took the lead. Scrum-half Gus Warr poked a grubber kick behind the visitors’ defence with Carpenter winning the race to the ball and diving over.

Spencer’s penalty from in front of the posts brought the score to 5-3 after five minutes but the Sharks forwards fully utilised their powerful driving maul to score three further tries and secure a bonus point after just 32 minutes.

Flanker Dugdale found little resistance from the Bath defence as he went over after 17 minutes, Robert du Preez marking his 100th appearance for the hosts with a successful conversion. Another five-metre lineout, 10 minutes later, was stopped only for Jean-Luc du Preez to spot an empty blind side where Roebuck had a clear run to the try line for Sharks’ third try.

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Bath fought so hard to comeback, but @SaleSharksRugby win it at the death!#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/laCXiLRnrN

— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) January 27, 2023

The try bonus point came before the break from a second-successful driving maul, this time it was Taylor who burrowed his way over to give Sale a 22-3 lead. Annett reduced the deficit with the final play of the half as the Bath pack exacted some revenge with a successful driving maul of their own.

The visitors were back within a score as Spencer’s grubber kick was collected by Joseph, who had the pace to race clear. Centre Ojomoh became the second Bath player in the sin bin before Du Preez struck a penalty to make the score 25-17 with half an hour to go.

Redpath joined Ojomoh in the sin bin as he tackled Tom O’Flaherty without the ball but another Spencer penalty, as well as a converted try for the scrum-half (click here to watch), saw the away side lead 27-25. Du Preez missed two long-range penalties in the closing minutes as the tension mounted but the Sharks held their nerve to send Reed over in the corner with the final play of the game.