Sale Sharks claimed northern bragging rights on Gallagher Premiership Derby Weekend, defeating Newcastle Falcons in Friday’s Kingston Park clash.

The home side trailed 27-10 at the break but enjoyed the first attacking foray when Alex Hearle broke down the left and offloaded infield.

However, they found themselves three points down in as many minutes when George Ford slotted a simple penalty from in front after Newcastle illegally played Sale scrum-half Gus Warr at the base of a ruck.

The Sharks kept up the point-a-minute scoring when quick hands along the line saw Bevan Rodd diving in at the right corner, Ford converting impressively from the touchline to reach double figures.

Newcastle responded with a spell of pressure in the Sharks’ 22, forcing repeated penalties and earning their reward when Sale old boy Cameron Neild peeled away from the back of a maul in the right corner to score his first try for the Falcons.

Brett Connon smashed over the touchline conversion to reduce the deficit to three, and the hosts received a further boost when Sale centre Rekeiti Ma’asi White had a try ruled out by the TMO for a knock-on in the build-up.

Connon had the legs but not the line when his 50-metre penalty attempt flew wide of the posts, and his side were ten behind again on the half-hour when a sequence of offloads freed Rob du Preez for a converted try down the right.

Connon and Ford traded a close-range penalty apiece, but Sale had the last say of the half when a supporting line from Tom O’Flaherty was rewarded with the winger scoring a try from a Joe Carpenter line-break.

That put the visitors 27-10 up, and after a scrappy opening to the second half they registered their bonus point on 53 minutes when Tadgh McElroy was driven over from a line-out in the right corner.

Newcastle offered resistance with Alex Hearle, Elliott Obatoyinbo and Joe Davis among the players taking the ball to the line, but the wall of orange stood firm for the Sharks, who absorbed the pressure.

Sale were reduced to 14 men just after the hour mark when prop Si McIntyre was yellow carded for a high tackle on Max Clark, but it did not prevent the flow of points as Joe Carpenter caught a pin-point cross-field kick to dive in at the right corner.

The hosts at least had the last say of the night when replacement prop Richard Palframan scored with the final play, picking and going from close range.

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Oli Spencer, 13 Sammy Arnold, 12 Max Clark (Louis Brown, 63), 11 Alex Hearle, 10 Brett Connon (Kieran Wilkinson, 64), 9 Sam Stuart (Joe Davis, 45); 1 Adam Brocklebank (Micky Rewcastle, 70), 2 Jamie Blamire (Ollie Fletcher, 60), 3 Murray McCallum, 4 Philip van der Walt (Ollie Leatherbarrow, 56), 5 Kiran McDonald (Sebastian de Chaves, 37), 6 Freddie Lockwood, 7 Cameron Neild, 8 Callum Chick (captain).

Scorers – Tries: Cameron Neild, Richard Palframan. Conversions: Brett Connon. Penalties: Brett Connon.

Sale Sharks: 15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Rob du Preez, 12 Rekeiti Ma’asi White (Sam Bedlow, 69), 11 Tom O’Flaherty (Arron Reed, 55), 10 George Ford 9 Gus Warr (Nye Thomas, 60); 1 Bevan Rodd (Si McIntyre, 54), 2 Tadgh McElroy (Harry Thompson, 74), 3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour (WillGriff John, 54) 4 Ben Bamber, 5 Jonny Hill (Hyron Andrews, 57), 6 Ernst van Rhyn, 7 Ben Curry (captain), 8 JL du Preez (Sam Dugdale, 60).  

Scorers – Tries: Bevan Rodd, Rob du Preez, Tom O’Flaherty, Tadgh McElroy, Joe Carpenter. Conversions: George Ford 4. Penalties: George Ford.

Referee: Christophe Ridley. Attendance: 5,402.