Sharks suffer shock loss to Warriors
Matthew Tait returned to Sale's line-up
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Friday, 14, Nov 2008 10:37
Sale blew the chance to go top of the Guinness Premiership after losing 17-9 to Worcester at Edgeley Park.
The Warriors clinched victory after four penalties from Matthew Jones and a second-half try from Netani Talei.
Worcester won despite Aleki Lutui pulling out of the squad after his wife gave birth, with hooker Chris Fortey replacing him.
Sharks welcomed back Mathew Tait after he was released by England for the weekend while Luke McAlister missed out with a hamstring strain.
In a game littered with mistakes, Jones gave the Warriors the lead with a third minute penalty.
The Sharks hit back with a penalty from Charlie Hodgson ten minutes later. Hodgson cancelled out another penalty from Jones in the closing stages of the half to leave the sides level at 6-6 at the break.
Worcester scored the game's only try on 52 minutes when Talei finished off a sweeping move to dive over, but Jones missed the conversion.
Sale reduced their deficit with another Hodgson penalty, but two more penalties from Jones in the final 15 minutes sealed victory for the visitors.
The win for Worcester moves them into eighth spot after six games, while the Sharks stay in third spot and are three points behind leaders Bath.