Sale Sharks moved back into the top six of the Gallagher Premiership with a scrappy 6-3 win over Bath at the AJ Bell Stadium.
On a wet and windy night in Salford, the Sharks’ had two AJ MacGinty penalties to thank for their victory in a game which Bath had led for much of the first half due to Freddie Burns’ early three points.
Bath began the brighter and might have taken the lead inside five minutes, but Burns’ drop-goal was well wide of the post.
However, the Bath fly-half would not have to wait long to get on the scoreboard, his long-range penalty putting the visitors ahead after Ben Curry was caught off-side.
Burns was offered an opportunity to extend the Bath advantage, but this time his penalty drifted wide of the post, as did his next kick off the tee.
He was made to pay on the 30-minute mark as MacGinty levelled the scores with a simple effort of his own.
The American then had a chance to put Sale ahead on the stroke of half-time as the ever-present Tom Curry won a penalty at the breakdown. Although he was unable to convert, to leave the match level at 3-3 at the interval.
The wet and windy conditions, which had plagued both sides attacking opportunities in the first half, continued into the second with neither team able to stamp their authority on the contest.
Sale would strike first in the second period, MacGinty knocking over his second three-point score of the match.
For the first time, Sale were now ahead, and they were given further encouragement when Bath number eight Zach Mercer was sin-binned in the closing stages.
Though it would Bath that had the final chance, Jonathan Joseph bursting through, passing to Will Chudley, but the replacement scrum-half was hauled down just short of the line.
Sale held on and kept their hopes alive of securing European Champions Cup rugby next season.
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