Lund went over the line for Sale's first try in four matches

Sale: (14) 17
Try: Lund
Pens: Larrechea (3)
Drops: Larrechea

Harlequins: (3) 12
Pens: Jarvis (4)

A try from Magnus Lund and 12 points from fly-half Daniel Larrechea's boot was enough to hold off a gritty second-half fightback by Harlequins.

Lund scored the only try of the game in the 22nd minute as Sale established a 14-3 by half-time.

The visitors battled back after the break with Adrian Jarvis narrowing the gap to 14-12 with three straight penalty kicks.

But the Sharks held on as Larrechea's third penalty put them home and dry.

Frenchman Larrechea again proved an inspired replacement for injured England number 10 Charlie Hodgson as Sale brought an end to Harlequins' three-match winning streak.

606 DEBATE: Give your thoughts on the match

It was a much-needed victory for the home side after successive league defeats at the hands of Bristol and Newcastle, along with a triple injury blow which has left Hodgson, Jason White and Andrew Sheridan sidelined for the rest of the season.

Harlequins had been first on the scoresheet when Jarvis landed a penalty nine minutes in.

But Larrechea soon started to find precision with his boot, collecting possession on the edge of the Harlequins 22 and edging Sale level with a beautifully executed drop goal.

After another Larrechea penalty, Lund combined with centre Lee Thomas to exploit a gap in the visitors' rearguard and charge over the line for Sale's first try in four matches.

Harlequins gave a spirited display in the second half with Jarvis reducing the deficit to just two points with nine minutes remaining before a third Larrechea put the result beyond a doubt.

"It was a very important win and you could see that the confidence was not very high.

"We didn't finish them but we showed a lot of character and we managed to win - and I think we deserved to win."

"It was a very poor first-half performance and everybody is disappointed with that.

"We gifted them a try through our own errors and I don't think we adapted particularly well to the conditions.

"There were too many unforced errors and going in at 14-3 at half-time we felt we should have come back and won."

Sale: Robinson; Foden, Taylor, Thomas, Ripol; Larrechea, Wigglesworth; Roberts, Bruno, Stewart, Schofield, Day, Bonner-Evans, Lund, Chabal.
Replacements: Titterrell, Evans, Lloyd, Hills, Martens, Mayor, Hanley.

Harlequins: Brown; Strettle, Luscombe, Deane, Keogh; Jarvis, Gomarsall; Jones, Fuga, Ross, Kohn, Evans, Vos, Volley (capt), Hala'ufia.
Replacements: Richards, Ward, Spanghero, Easter, Care, Mehrtens, Duffy.

Referee: Ashley Rowden (RFU)