After a long injury stoppage for a head injury to Sale replacement Cameron Neild, the Sharks got a foothold in the game when hooker Ewan Ashman crashed over under the posts in the 53rd minute, with MacGinty converting.
Exeter had touchdowns by O’Flaherty (knock-on) and Sam Skinner (offside) disallowed in a dramatic final quarter, while Sale were indebted to two superb try-saving tackles by South African international scrum-half Faf de Klerk on prop James Kenny and Woodburn, to deny Chiefs a bonus-point, and Langdon’s very late try earned Sale what might turn out to be a very crucial point of their own come the end of the season.
Match details
Exeter Chiefs: S Hogg (F Cordero 63), O Woodburn, I Whitten, T Hendrickson (H Skinner 79), T O’Flaherty, J Simmonds, S Maunder (J Maunder 63), A Hepburn (J Kenny 63), J Yeandle (capt) (J Innard 53), M Street (H Williams 46), J Kirsten, S Skinner, D Ewers, J Vermeulen (S Grondona 53), R Capstick. Replacement not used: W Witty.
Sale Sharks: S James, T Roebuck, R du Preez, R Janse Van Rensburg, A Reed (B McGuigan 53, L James 63), A J MacGinty, R Quirke (F de Klerk 31), B Rodd (S McIntyre 53), E Ashman, C Oosthuizen (J Jones 35), J-L du Preez, C Wiese (JP du Preez 7), J Ross (capt) (C Neild ht, C Langdon 46), B Curry, D du Preez.
Scoring sequence: 5-0 Woodburn try, 7-0 J Simmonds con, 12-0 Vermeulen try, 17-0 Vermeulen try, 19-0 J Simmonds con, 19-5 Ashman try, 19-7 MacGinty con, 19-12 Langdon try.
Yellow cards: Sale – S James (37).
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU).
Attendance: 10,396.
