Saracens extend Premiership lead after catching dangerous Sharks (From Watford Observer)

Saracens extend Premiership lead after tense win over Sale Sharks

7:28pm Saturday 5th December 2009 in Local Sport By Simon Mail

Saracens extended their lead at the top of the Guinness Premiership to six points after a hard-fought 15-13 win over Sale Sharks at Vicarage Road this evening.

Brendan Venter’s side were far from at their best but five penalties from Derick Hougaard enabled them to overturn a 10-9 deficit at the break and maintain their winning record at home. The Sharks will probably feel hard done by after a spirited effort but they paid the price for giving away countless penalties as Saracens maintained the last unbeaten run in the competition.

England talents Andy Saull and Alex Goode both started for the Men in Black after agreeing new three-year deals to stay with the club. The pair were joined in the side by centre Adam Powell who made his first start of the season after recovering from a hamstring injury. Fijian scrum-half Moses Rauluni was also handed his first outing with Kevin Barrett, Neil de Kock and Justin Marshall all unavailable.

The hosts were given the chance to open the scoring after four minutes when Sale collapsed a maul and Hougaard kicked over the penalty to give them the lead. Another penalty five minutes later was off target from the South African fly half.

Saracens thought they had scored the first try after 15 minutes when a driving maul forced the ball over the line but after a long wait for the television match official referee Dave Pearson ruled against awarding the score.

The home side wasted a golden opportunity to get the breakthrough moments later when Goode dropped the ball when only yards away from crossing the line.

Sale took the lead after a good spell of pressure resulted in number eight Sisa Koyamaibole crossing over the line. The decision went to the television match official again but this time the try was awarded. Charlie Hodgson added the conversion to extend the Sharks’ lead.

But Saracens immediately narrowed the deficit with Hougaard firing over another penalty. Sale responded by going close at the other end and their efforts were rewarded when Hodgson converted a penalty which took them into a 10-6 advantage.

The Men in Black were given another penalty two minutes before half-time and Hougaard had no problem booting the effort to keep them in touch with the visitors.

Sarries made an encouraging start to the second half and their pressure led to Sale conceding a penalty for coming off their feet. Hougaard easily fired over the three points to regain a slender lead.

Former Leicester Tigers fly half Hougaard had a drop goal attempt after 54 minutes but his effort drifted wide of the post. Sale conceded their ninth penalty midway through the half for not binding in the scrum but Hougaard was unable to find the target.

The Sharks gave away another penalty after taking a man out from a Saracens lineout and Hougaard found his range to give the hosts a five-point cushion.

Sale dominated the closing stages and Hodgson brought them within two points of Saracens with a penalty for offside seven minutes from time. But they could not get possession back and Sarries held out for a tense victory in torrid conditions.

Saracens: Goode (Penney, 20), Cato, Ratuvou, Powell, Wyles, Hougaard, Rauluni; Gill, Brits (Reynecke, 51), Nieto (Skuse, 51), Borthwick, Smith (Vyvyan, 51), Van Heerden, Saull (Barrell, 51), Joubert

Sale Sharks: Macleod, Vagacegu, Tait, Bishop, Cohen, Hodgson, Wigglesworth; Roberts, Briggs, Forster (Halsall, 70), Schofield (Gaskell, 30), Cox, Fearns, Seymour, Koyamaibole

Scoring: 3-0, 3-5, 3-7, 6-7, 6-10, 9-10 HT 12-10, 15-10, 15-13

Referee: Dave Pearson

Attendance: 7,101