That changed when first Courtney Lawes and then Soane Tonga'uiha got their hands on the ball and their drives helped Saints win a penalty. Unfortunately Stephen Myler failed to connect properly and the shot went wide.
Although it was a breezy afternoon, Edgeley Park was bathed in sunshine, and with a firm pitch underfoot Sale threw the ball about. If there was nothing riding on the game this would be described as 'Barbarian-style rugby', but there was serious intent, made clear in the 12th minute when a kickable penalty was sent to the corner.
Having failed to drive through the forwards the Sharks eventually span the ball right, and with an overlap their ambition looked like paying off. But Chris Ashton timed his tackle perfectly, taking man and ball, and when Ben Foden intercepted a subsequent pass Saints cleared.
They worked their way up to Sale's 22, and although Neil Best put in a thumping tackle on Oriol Ripol, the former Saint got the ball away and Mark Cueto sent an excellent kick 50 metres downfield. The forwards took over, winning the lineout against the throw, and this set up another spell of pressure that finally paid off when captain Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe was driven over for the first points a minute into the second quarter.
Sale had the try they wanted, if not the conversion, and while their defence remained in the visitors' faces the lead was pegged back to two points when Myler slotted a penalty from the 10-metre line after 28 minutes. Then four minutes later the hosts found themselves facing a five-point deficit.
It was a well worked try. Paul Diggin's kick ahead had bounced kindly into touch in Sale's 22, but although it was a home throw it soon became a perfect attacking opportunity when Lawes stole the ball. The pressure was patient, at least until Best cut a superb angle and powered through the last tackle to the line.
Myler's conversion took the score to 5-10, but Saints were soon again on the back foot and a man down to boot. Chris Ashton had had a good return thus far, but when he batted down Nick Macleod's quick throw in four minutes from half-time Chris White had no hesitation in sending him to the sin bin. But while Sale sought to exploit the extra space out wide the defence held firm, Sean Lamont put in a stunning tackle on Mathew Tait and Joe Ansbro and Tonga'uiha took the play up to halfway before conceding a penalty. With time having run out Hodgson lined up his kick, but it went wide and Saints still had their five-point lead at the break.
The 14 men from Northampton needed to retain possession at the start of the second half until Ashton's return. This they did, and even had the chance to extend the lead when Myler lined up a penalty a metre inside his own half. The kick was close, but not over, and Sale were still within a score.
There was soon more defending to do as the Sharks began to ring the changes. Rudi Keil and Andrew Sheridan both came on and were quickly involved in the action as Sale sought a second try. But again a superb tackle from Lamont spoiled the overlap, forcing a knock on.
The impetus the hosts needed came from their captain, Fernandez Lobbe, whose quickly tapped penalty had Saints scrambling to cover. He had been on his back between the posts only a couple of minutes before, but he retained the power to stretch the defence, as did Sebastien Chabal in the following phase. Richard Wigglesworth was next, and while he was snagged inches short there was no stopping Eifion Roberts, who pirouetted over.
If there was any doubting the swing in momentum by now, there was none four minutes later when Dean Schofield powered over from 10 metres. Hodgson landed his first conversion, and while Myler pulled three points back Saints still faced a 17-13 deficit.
The visitors were now bringing on reinforcements and ex-Sharks Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe and Barry Stewart - the latter in his last Guinness Premiership game - both received superb ovations. Another former home player, Christian Day, had replaced his captain, and within a couple of minutes he was close to his first try for his new club, denied only by the touchline.
By now the game's intensity was making a mockery of the time gone with play moving rapidly from one 22 to the other. Sale had a go before knocking the ball on in a tackle, before Saints went straight up the other end. This attack too broke down, and the deadlock was broken when Selorm Kuadey's break created the fourth try, Tait the beneficiary. Hodgson's conversion took the score to 24-13, and with 10 minutes to go the contest was effectively over.
Lamont had other ideas, and with two minutes to go he scythed over for a sensational solo effort. Barry Everitt's conversion drifted agonisingly wide, but Saints were nonetheless in bonus point territory. There was still time for some breathless attacking in search of the win, but there was just too much ground to cover and Sale held on.
Teams:
Sale Sharks - Macleod; Cueto, M Tait, Tuilagi (Keil 49mins), Ripol (Kuadey 66mins); Hodgson, Wigglesworth (Peel 65mins); Faure (Sheridan 45mins), Bruno, Roberts (Turner 73mins), Chabal, Schofield (D Tait 70mins), Jones (White 58mins), Briggs, Fernandez Lobbe (capt).
Northampton Saints - Ashton (Dickson 60mins); Diggin, Ansbro, Clarke (Mayor 63mins), Lamont; Myler (Everitt 73mins), Foden; Tonga'uiha, Sharman (J Gray 60mins), Stewart (Smith 60mins), Fernandez Lobbe (capt)(Day 62mins), Lawes, Best, S Gray, Easter (Hopley 63mins).
Scorers:
Sale Sharks - Tries: F Lobbe, Roberts, Schofield, M Tait; Cons: Hodgson (2).
Northampton Saints - Tries: Best, Lamont; Con: Myler; Pens: Myler (2).
Yellow card:
Ashton (36mins)
Attendance:
9,724
Referee:
Chris White (RFU)
TIMELINE:
7mins SAINTS Miss pen Myler
21mins SALE Try F Lobbe 5-0
28mins SAINTS Pen Myler 5-3
32mins SAINTS Try Best Con Myler 5-10
36mins SAINTS Yellow card Ashton
40mins SALE Miss pen Hodgson
HALF-TIME SALE 5 SAINTS 10
45mins SAINTS Miss pen Myler
53mins SALE Try Roberts 10-10
57mins SALE Try Schofield Con Hodgson 17-10
61mins SAINTS Pen Myler 17-13
72mins SALE Try M Tait Con Hodgson 24-13
78mins SAINTS Try Lamont 24-18
FULL-TIME SALE 24 SAINTS 18
