Aviva Premiership: Leicester Tigers inflict sixth straight defeat on Sale Sharks
Sale slumped to a sixth straight Aviva Premiership defeat as Leicester won 20-8 at the City of Salford Stadium.
Last Updated: 06/10/12 7:18am
The Sharks remain rooted to the bottom of the table with just a solitary point from their six outings this season.
They led 8-6 at the break after dominating the first half, but ultimately paid the price for not turning possession and territory into points.
Leicester ruthlessly showed them how it should be done with 11 unanswered points at the start of the second half that ultimately settled the contest.
The pacy Rob Miller put Sale ahead with an unconverted try after just six minutes, racing down the blindside to finish well at the corner from a quick line-out.
Nick Macleod added a penalty for the hosts, but George Ford kept Leicester in touch with two penalties.
Straight from the second half re-start he added a third and moments later Ben Youngs scooted out of the back of a maul and in at the corner for a try.
Ford missed his only kick of the night for the conversion, but two more penalties stretched Leicester two scores clear.
Sale continued to press bravely for a second try and a bonus point, but the Leicester defence was superb and the Sharks have nothing to show for an improved but ultimately fruitless display.
Leicester's dominance at the scrum was almost complete and three of Ford's five penalties were awarded against the Sale set-piece.
The Sharks were somewhat unfortunate to have a try ruled out by the video referee just before the break for a knock-on that looked to come off a Leicester hand, but they should not blame this defeat on just one poor decision.
Leicester won this game at the scrum and with their defence, while the marshalling of Youngs and the kicking of Ford were almost faultless.
The Tigers will head into European action well set in the top four of the Premiership, while the Sharks must now try to break their season's duck in the toughest competition of them all.
