Sale moved to within one point of Zurich Premiership leaders Gloucester with a routine victory over Bath at Heywood Road.

Steve Hanley was the chief destroyer with two tries in seven first-half minutes and the visitors never recovered losing fly-half Mike Catt to a recurrence of his hamstring injury.

Jason Robinson came on for Sale in the second half, overcoming the battering he took during England's victory over South Africa to help set up Stuart Pinkerton's 54th-minute touch down.

Second row Dean Schofield crossed for the Sharks' fourth try while Mark Cueto completed the rout in the dying moments.

Bath, who accounted for Sale 24-18 three weeks ago, offered little and would have lost by more had Jos Baxendell made more than two of his seven shots at goal.

The west country side touched down through James Scaysbrook and Simon Danielli but it was a poor performance from Mike Foley's side.

Rampage

Their evening started badly - Baxendell slotted over an early penalty for Sale and then injury-plagued Catt pulled up with a recurrence of his hamstring problem.

Sale then went on the rampage and were rewarded when Baxendell was given time and space to stab over a neat drop-goal.

Bath struck back with a try in the left corner through Scaysbrook.

But Hanley raced on to a well-timed pass from Vaughan Going in the 21st minute before dashing in the left corner.

And the former England flyer was in action again seven minutes later with a similarly-constructed try, but with Cueto this time supplying the final pass.

Bath emerged fired-up for the second half but they only managed a Barkley penalty to cut Sale's lead to 19-13.

Then the Sharks scored with Pinkerton rounding off a promising move in the left corner.

Scores from Schofield and Cueto rendered Danielli's score a mere consolation and Bath's evening was rounded-off by the 82nd minute sin-binning of skipper Danny Grewcock for fighting.

Sale: Going, Cueto, Harris, Bond, Hanley, Baxendell, Redpath, Yates, Marais, Turner, C. Jones, Schofield, Davies, Pinkerton, Anglesea.
Replacements: Roddham, Thorp, Stewart, Fullarton, Lund, Wigglesworth, Robinson.

Bath: Barkley, Danielli, Maggs, Tindall, Davy, Catt, Blake, Barnes, Humphries, Mallett, Borthwick, Grewcock, Scaysbrook, Beattie, N. Thomas.
Replacements: Cooper, Mears, Galasso, Voyce, Crockett, G. Thomas, Lloyd.

Referee: Martin Fox (RFU)