The game had started at a frantic pitch on a cold and foggy evening in Stockport. Despite losing their first two line outs to the Sale pack, NEC Harlequins scored as early as the fourth minute when Ceri Jones drove over from a five metre line out after a 'thing of beauty'. Andy Dunne converted to make the score line 7-0 to the visitors. In the seventh minute Van Straaten missed e penalty opportunity when Quins were thought to be offside by referee Dave Pearson.



After 13 minutes Andy Dunne made the score 10 - 0 to NEC Harlequins when he put over a penalty when Sale were penalised for playing the ball on the floor. Following this score, the Quins came under some intense pressure from the Sharks and were penalised relentlessly as they defended their goal line. As the pressure built, Tony Diprose was sin binned in the 24 minute for pulling down a maul, and The Sharks continued to kick to the corner rather than take the three points on offer. In the 26 minute Kai Horstmann replaced Roy Winters (Blood), but he did not stay on the field long as one minute later Jon Dawson joined Tony Diprose in the sin bin for coming in from the side of a ruck, so Laurent Gomez came on in the front row and off trotted Kai Horstmann. For seven minutes Sale pummeled the 13 man Quins line, but were driven back in scrums and in mauls by some of the most committed and ferocious defence you will see anywhere in the Premiership. When Diprose returned to the field the score line remained 10 - 0 to NEC Harlequins.



However, before Dawson returned Baxendall the Sale fly half made a break from yet another five man scrum, and with the Quins back row one man light he went over underneath the sticks and try that was converted by Van Straaten. Quins lead 10 - 7.



Shortly after the re-start Quins were again under pressure when Andy Dunne cleared his lines, although his kick was partly charged down by the on rushing Sale players, playing on side the entire Quins pack who were in front of the kick. The ball fell to Jim Evans who was approximately 50 meters out from Sale line. Having weaved his way around a number of Sale defenders, Jim straightened his running line and headed for the posts, comfortably out sprinting the Sale defence and scored underneath the posts. Dunne converted and the score was 17 points to 7 at half time.



The second half started at a manic pace, and with Diprose down injured Sale got back into the game almost immediately with the first of a brace of tries from Mark Cueto to make the score 17 -14 to Quins. This quickly became 17 all when Van Straaten put over a penalty after Quins were adjudged offside at a ruck.



However, in the 62 minute NEC Harlequins scored what may well go onto become the try of the season. Turning over Sale ball in their own half, Scott Bemand quickly fed fly half Andy Dunne who broke through the first line of the Sale defence deep inside the Quins half. With searing pace he went deep into Sale territory before drawing the last man and passing the ball inside to wing Simon Keogh who ran in unopposed from 30 metres to score under the posts. Dunne converted to make the score 24 points to 17. The lead was quickly closed to 24 - 20 by another Sale penalty. In the 70 minutes Dunne missed the opportunity to stretch the lead to seven points when penalty chance went wide, but a second opportunity one minute later was converted - score 27 points to 20.



In the dying minutes threw everything at the Quins line and in the dying seconds Cueto earned Sale their draw and two points.



This was a game that could have been won by either team. Both George Harder and Simon Keogh had chances for Quins, while Sale created a huge amount of pressure while Quins were down to 13 men.



Was it two points won, or two points lost? Not sure, will let you know once we have looked at the video, but it was a cracking game, with both teams playing some tremendous rugby.