Little a mighty big man for Sale

It was more mid-summer madness than a rugby match. The lead changed hands eight times in a breathless contest which gripped all at Heywood Road and which could have gone either way in a finish as exciting as any we are likely to witness this season. There were only four tries - three in the first half - and a dogged refusal by Sale to accept that they were in any way inferior to Bath, either in attack or defence.

It was more mid-summer madness than a rugby match. The lead changed hands eight times in a breathless contest which gripped all at Heywood Road and which could have gone either way in a finish as exciting as any we are likely to witness this season. There were only four tries - three in the first half - and a dogged refusal by Sale to accept that they were in any way inferior to Bath, either in attack or defence.

Both sides were indebted to their kickers. For Sale, Nicky Little was almost faultless. He kicked everything in sight for an hour, missing only with the conversion of Steve Hanley's barnstorming try, which turned the match in the 61st minute, and a touch-line penalty. Even so, his personal tally of 23 points was almost matched by Jon Preston, who amassed 22, and kicked two penalties in the space of three minutes as the clock ticked down and Bath threw everything at Sale in a desperate effort to snatch victory. In the end the visitors' reward was a single league point - for losing by fewer than seven points.

For the first quarter there was not much between them, as Bath answered all the questions Sale posed and Preston matched the two penalties kicked by Little with two of his own. Little then stroked over a 45-metre effort before Bath cut loose for the first time in what was developing into a thoroughly entertaining game. Matt Perry made the running for Rob Thirlby to score the opening try, which Preston converted.

Little reduced the deficit to a point with his fourth penalty, only for Perry to spoil the Fijian's good work by stepping out of Joe Clarke's limp tackle to cross for a try at the posts. With Preston's conversion, that left Sale eight points adrift, with only three minutes of the half remaining.

Bath would have no doubt been happy to have maintained that advantage until the break. But Nathan Thomas was sin-binned for kicking the ball away at a tapped penalty and at the third time of asking Bryan Redpath burrowed his way over for a try which Little converted from touch, to haul Sale back to within a single point.

As Little and Preston banged away at the posts the lead swung first to Sale and then to Bath. It changed a further three times until Hanley and Little put the issue out of Bath's reach, despite Preston's late flourish.

Sale: V Going; M Moore, M Shaw, M Deane (D Harris 67), S Hanley; N Little, B Redpath; A Black (D Bell 51), J Clarke (B Jackman 68), J Thiel, G Manson-Bishop (D Baldwin 60), A Whittle, P Angelsea, A Morris (R Appleyard h-t), A Sanderson(capt).

Bath: M Perry; R Thirlby, I Tindall, K Maggs, A Adebayo: M Catt, J Preston; D Barnes, M Regan (A Long 77), J Mallett (C Horsman 60), M Haag (M Gabey 60), S Borthwick, G Thomas, B Clarke (capt), N Thomas.

Referee: A Rowden (Reading).