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Arron Reed double sets Sale on their way to win over Gloucester
By PA
Arron Reed’s first-half double earned Sale a hard-fought 24-10 Gallagher Premiership victory over Gloucester.
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Alex Sanderson’s side put some early discipline struggles behind them to hit the front through wing Reed, who notched his second just after the half-hour mark to put the hosts firmly in the ascendancy.
Scores from the returning Ben Curry and debutant Agustin Creevy then put the finishing touches to a fine performance, before Freddie Thomas grabbed a late consolation score for Gloucester.
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Victory moved Sharks to top of the league ahead of Saturday’s fixtures, while another disappointing defeat for Gloucester sees them languishing in sixth.
On a wet night at Salford Stadium, Gloucester opened proceedings with a penalty as George Barton bisected the posts in the 12th minute following an error-strewn opening from both sides due to the conditions.
Sale responded immediately to going three points down by scoring a try just two minutes later, making good use of penalty advantage by shipping wide to set Reed away for a score in the corner.
Upon his return to the Sharks side after the conclusion of the World Cup, George Ford struggled amid the testing conditions, missing the conversion for the try before striking wide with two penalty efforts.
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But it was his up-and-under which led to Sharks’ second, as Jack Reeves spilled in the air allowing Gus Warr to snaffle up the loose ball. The scrum-half set Reed away on the left flank and he had too much pace for Jake Morris and Gloucester’s retreating defence.
Ford converted on this occasion as his kick from wide handed Sharks a deserved 12-3 half-time lead.
The second half started in a similar manner to the first as both teams struggled to play their rugby.
Returning for his first game following a six-month injury lay-off, flanker Curry ignited Sale into action upon his introduction in the 51st minute, scoring within a minute to extend Sharks’ lead to 14 points.
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Gloucester looked to have set up a grandstand finish in the 66th but a superb tackle from the ever-industrious Warr denied them a near-certain score.
Sharks then sealed victory 10 minutes from time as former London Irish hooker Creevy powered over from a maul to secure the bonus point.
Ford added the conversion to make it a three-try game so it was always going to be too little, too late when Thomas ran in under the posts after a deflected kick fell kindly into the hands of team-mate Mark Atkinson.
Barton converted but there was no time for Gloucester to find a bonus point of their own, with back-to-back defeats leaving them under mounting pressure ahead of a derby with high-flying Bath next Friday.
