Jersey 0-19 Sale: Quickfire treble puts Sharks in open water

SALE'S first pre-season match, and their first trip to the Channel Islands to play Championship side Jersey Reds ended in a solid three try win.

The Sharks did not have it all their own way, however, as the home side were dominant in the first half and but for some desperate last ditch defending could, and probably should, have gone in at the break a couple of tries to the good.

Jersey looked every bit the equal of their more star-studded opponents in the opening moments of the game.

Big hitting by the Sharks was the only real difference as the Reds tried time and again to break down Alex Sanderson's side.

Jersey had plenty of opportunity to open the scoring with kickable penalty chances, but showing great ambition they proceeded to kick to the corner, working the visitors over with lineout and maul. Sale held firm and only when the clock ticked to half an hour did Jersey try a shot at the posts, but it was missed.

Former Northampton wing Ryan Olowofela went close to scoring a try on three occasions but try as they might the scores did not come for Jersey.

A raft of expected changes by the visitors at the break totally changed the dynamic of the game, and it was Sale who bossed the second period, scoring three tries in 11 minutes.

A missed tackle allowed Sam Hill in for the first score, and then Curtis Langdon went over from a maul.

Jersey to their credit did not back down and continued to move the ball well, looking to stretch their opponents, but the Sale defence was impregnable as in the first half.

Sale by now looked a class act in attack and after multiple phases of play in the Jersey ten metre zone, there was no one left out wide and Tom Roebuck had the easiest of jobs to catch and dot down to effectively seal the win.

Both sides had chances to score again as the game drew to a close, but both coaching teams should be satisfied with some good moments.

■By JAMES HEWLETT