Fright for Leeds after Albanese is sent to sin bin

Leeds 29 Sale 29

By climbing to the head of the table last Saturday, Leeds could be excused had they suffered a bout of vertigo, such has been the spectacular nature of their rise to the top. Against all expectations, Phil Davies's side had banished from their memory the disappointment of finishing bottom of the Premiership in May, to reel off three straight wins.

At Headingley last night they almost made it four but slipped badly in the closing minutes after Diego Albanes was sin-binned, allowing Sale to score two tries in six minutes to pull level from 26-12.

Charlie Hodgson's stoppage-time drop goal almost earned Sale all the points, but a fifth penalty goal by Braam van Straaten at least ensured Leeds would not go empty handed and they are back on top, a point in front of Gloucester. It would have been a travesty had they not drawn, for they had outplayed Sale almost everywhere for the 69 minutes preceeding Albanese's misdemeanour.

Leeds' success is built on the way the whole team works for each other, an implacable defence, the attacking skills of Dan Scarbrough and Albanese, plus the extraordinary kicking of Braam van Straaten. All were on the menu against a disappointing Sale, who were rarely in it until Albanese was shown yellow.

It took all of the first quarter for the sides to settle and significantly, Sale were guilty of an elementary error which led to the first try. The Sharks were 3-0 ahead, thanks to Hodgson's opening penalty, before Gordon Ross drilled the ball deep into the right corner. Instead of opting for safety, Sale threw the ball long into the midfield. Charl Marais' aim was crooked, and from the scrum which led to a ruck, Cameron Mather crossed at the posts.

Hodgson and Van Straaten exchanged penalties, to keep the gap to a point, but there were sure signs that the Leeds forwards were getting the better of the Sale pack in the loose and it was no surprise that Chris Murphy, once of Sale, profited from a series of drives for the next touchdown. Van Straaten converted both tries and, though Hodgson pulled a penalty back, Leeds were looking full value for their 17-12 advantage at the break.

Van Straaten stretched it with two booming, 50-metre plus penalties. In between, Jason Robinson sprang to life with a jinking run and chip, forcing Dan Scarbrough to concede a five-metre scrum. From this promising position, and to Sale's acute embarrassment, Leeds shoved them off their own ball and cleared the danger. That was it until Sale's late show.

Leeds: Tries Mather, Murphy; Conversions Van Straaten 2; Penalties Van Straaten 5. Sale: Tries Cueto, Hanley; Conversions Hodgson 2 Penalties Hodgson 4

Leeds: D Scarbrough; G Harder, T Davies, B van Straaten, D Albanese; G Ross, D Hegarty; M Shelley (capt), M Regan, G Kerr, C Murphy (S Campbell 69), T Palmer, C Mather, J Ponton (C Hogg 69), I Feaunati.

Sale: J Robinson; M Cueto, J Baxendell, D Harris (M Deane 47), S Hanley; C Hodgson, N Walshe; J Thorp (K Yates 61), C Marais (A Titterrell 47), B Stewart, S Lines (D Schofield 61), C Jones, A Sanderson, S Pinkerton (capt), P Anglesea.

Referee: Paul Adams (Ebbw Vale).