Mannix points way for happy travellers

They may be almost impregnable on their own patch, but Gloucester have rarely offered the consistency or shown the desire when on leave from the West Country to suggest they are capable of lifting the title.

They may be almost impregnable on their own patch, but Gloucester have rarely offered the consistency or shown the desire when on leave from the West Country to suggest they are capable of lifting the title.

Perhaps now, as they sit proudly on top of the table, we should begin to believe them, especially as they went about constructing this victory with an authority and purpose which will make it very difficult for Bath and Northampton, who still have to go to Kingsholm.

Gloucester seem to be seriously ambitious about winning. How quickly things change. Not long ago their travel club was on the verge of seeking charitable status as the Cherry and Whites won only one Premiership game away from home.

The coach operators were in despair as The Shed's fully paid-up members refused to spend their good money on trips to all parts, only to see the side routinely beaten. It was so bad that they contrived to lose at West Hartlepool and Bedford on successive weekends last March.

This term, matters have certainly improved but they have been unable to win away at sides in the top half of the table - except at Northampton, when Saints were denied a raft of players on World Cup duty - so a victory at Heywood Road was considered essential if Philippe Saint-André's side were going to maintain a title challenge.

Having weathered an early Sale storm, which earned the hosts a penalty by Nicky Little, Gloucester eased their way into contention when Chris Catling opened up Sale's midfield with an ease which suggested that for them defensive duties rather than a reliance on all-out attack would be the order of the day.

Tom Beim took it on with an alacrity all too familiar with the Sale faithful for a sumptuous try. Simon Mannix, also a Sale regular once, converted and kicked a penalty, Little adding a second penalty to make it 10-6 at the end of the quarter.

Gloucester's pack had been quiet almost to the point of quiescence, but they got up a fair head of steam in one monster drive towards the clubhouse end, Junior Paramore being shunted over for a try. Rightly indignant at that treatment, the Sale forwards replied by rolling Peter Anglesea across for a try. Little goaled to make it 15-13 with two minutes of the half left.

With Little missing the chance to regain the lead for Sale as his penalty shot failed to clear the crossbar, Gloucester decided it was time to reassert their auth-ority. Perhaps someone had told them of Bristol's unexpected triumph at Franklin's Gardens.

Whatever was imbibed with the half-time tea, it did the trick. Gloucester put on 10 points in as many minutes, Beim claiming a second try by latching onto Ed Pearce's pass at the posts. Mannix converted and struck his second and third penalties to put them 15 points in the clear, leaving Sale floundering.

In some respects it had been a better Sale performance than in recent weeks. They never folded and though the scoreline gave a fair reflection of Gloucester's superiority, there was a late flourish when Anglesea almost got a second try and Barrie-Jon Mather ran out of gas with the Gloucester line in sight. When next in sight of the Sale posts, the nerveless Mannix finished Sale off with his fourth penalty.

Sale: J Mallinder; S Davidson, J Baxendell (capt), B-J Mather, S Hanley; N Little, C Turvey; P Smith (D Bell, 59), P Greening, D Theron, G Manson-Bishop, N Fletcher, A Sanderson, A Morris, P Anglesea.

Gloucester: B Hayward; C Catling, T Fanolua, C Yates, T Beim; S Mannix, L Beck; T Woodman, C Fortey, P Vickery, R Fidler, I Jones, E Pearce, K Jones (Capt), J Paramore.

Referee: B Campsall (Sowerby, West Yorkshire).