By Jonathan Noad
December 21 2003

Once again Sale lived up to their reputation of providing the best entertainment in the Premiership with a last minute draw. Sale, however, should feel disappointed they should have won this game with the amount of possession they had together with Quins being reduced to 13 men at one point. The Sharks seem to like making things difficult for themselves going behind to a converted try within five minutes. Quins prop Ceri Jones was pushed over the Sale line on Quins first successful lineout which fly half Andy Dunne duly converted. Quins added to their score with a penalty from the boot of Dunne that was of BVS proportions. Van Straaten missed a penalty following which Quins has Diprose and Dawson sent to the bin for slowing play down. Sale were camped within Quins 22 for an eternity during which time they shouldve scored easily on a number of occasions only to be held up or held back by the dogged defence of the Quins. Finally the silky skills of Rugby God Jos Baxendell dived over the try line to leave Braam with an easy conversion. This took the score to within three points.

The most bizarre incident of this game came just before half time when a kick by world cup hero Shaggy Greenwood booted the ball downfield only for Quins lock to collect it and stride over the Sale try line. From the Royal Box in the Cheadle End Evans was a mile off side at the time and it looked like the referee made a monumental blunder. However, the ball hit a Sale player and put Evans back onside. The Sale defence was in disarray at this bizarre incident and allowed Evans to race clear. Dunne converted to send Quins into half time 17-7 up.

Sale came out in the second half with the bit between their teeth and in form winger Mark Cueto was set up perfectly by Kevin Yates and supercentre Graeme Bond to score a well deserved try. A successful conversion by from the boot of van Straaten and a further penalty took Sale to level terms and seemingly it looked like the Sharks were going to accelerate clear. However former Sale favourite Mel Deane made a searing break to set up wing Keogh for a try, Dunne again converting. Isnt it funny how former Sale players always come back to haunt us. The game was not over however and in the dying minutes of the game Mark Cueto raced over in the corner for a superb try to the delight of the Birtles erm Cheadle End faithful. It was left to Braam van Straaten to kick the conversion from the touch line which he did coolly with aplomb to take the game to 27 all. Before anybody had a chance to kick for drops the ref blew.

Sir Jim was clearly not amused by the Sale performance and felt that his side had gifted Quins their tries. However, when you think of the players that were missing from the squad Robinson, Hodgson, Redpath, Harris, Sanderson, Anglesea, Davies, Titterell and Big Sheridan the result does not seem too bad. Sale had most of the possession and the tries they did score were well worked which bodes well for the home game with Rotherham on Christmas Saturday. My man of the match Mark Cueto.



Sale Sharks 27 NEC Harlequins 27 (HT: 7-17)

Sale Sharks:

V Going; M Cueto, B van Straaten, G Bond, S Hanley; J Baxendell, N Walshe; K Yates, M Cairns, B Stewart, D Schofield, I Fullarton, J White, S Pinkerton (capt), C Jones.

Replacements: J Roddham, S Turner, B Lloyd, M Lund, C Mayor, J Hoyle, R. Wigglessworth

Scorers: Baxendell (1T) Cueto (2T), van Straaten (3C, 2P)

NEC Harlequins

G Duffy, G Harder, W Greenwood, M Deane, S Keogh, A Dunne, S Bemand, C Jones, T Fuga, J Dawson, B Davison, J Evans, R Winters, A Vos, T Diprose.

Replacements: J Hayter, J Leonard, L Gomez, K Rudzki, K Horstmann, A Jarvis, C Bell

Scorers: Jones (1T), Evans (1T), Keogh (1T) Dunne (3C, 2P)

Attendance: 6,643