Harlequins 48 Sale Sharks 41

Two tries from Mike Brown helped Harlequins to a entertaining victory over Sale in the Autumn sunshine.

Quins got off to a blistering start with Mike Brown scoring an early try, after Nick Evans had released Sam Smith. They were over again on seven minutes thanks to George Lowe, although Sale reduced the arrears with a Nick Macleod penalty. Evans restored the ten-point advantage with a penalty but Rob Miller got Sale over the try line shortly after to put the visitors back in it. Three Quins tries in the final ten minutes of the first half took the game away from Sale. Ollie Kohn, Mark Lambert and Brown were the men to touch down for the home side, although the Sharks gave themselves a glimmer of hope with a try from Dwayne Peel on the stroke of half-time. The first try in the second half was always going to be crucial, and unfortunately for the Sharks it went to Quins. Nick Evans snapped up a loose Peel pass and raced away from the opposition to put the home side well in front. Quins looked capable of adding more points but it was Sale who mounted a late fightback in the final 30 minutes. Miller raced the length of the field to grab his second try of the game for Sharks, minutes after Rory Clegg had kicked a second Quins penalty. On 77 minutes, Tom Brady added another try for Sale and on the stroke of full-time they struck again through Joaquin Tuculet. But it was too little too late for Sale and Harlequins maintain their spot at the top of the league.