Saracens held off an inspired comeback from Premiership rivals Sale to ensure their passage into the last eight of the Powergen Cup.

Sarries looked to be coasting to a quarter-final against Gloucester after going 23-0 ahead but the Sharks finally kicked into life to set up a nailbiting finale.

The Watford side played one of their best halves of the season as Thomas Castaignede kicked a penalty and Tom Shanklin raced in for a try to go 10-0 up in just 14 minutes.

Shanklin, a Welsh international centre, enjoyed a rapid run in after full-back Adryan Winnan had created acres of space, having made a mockery of Sale's defence.

It is a satisfying win and it shows us what we can do when we can put it all together Saracens coach Wayne Shelford

Minutes later Saracens were back on the score sheet, this time prop Johnny Masters adding five points after diving right of a ruck on Sale's try line.

Castaignede, producing a superb kicking display, made no mistake with the penalty to create a convincing first-half lead.

After the break he added a further three points to pull out a seemingly unassailable lead.

Charlie Hodgson finally got Sharks on the scoreboard with a 35-minute penalty and his side were a totally different outfit after the break.

Number eight Phil Davies pounced on a lack of communication between Saracens captain Kyran Bracken and wing Gerald Arasa.

The first half was unacceptable - Saracens were in our faces and we didn't do the basics right Sale coach Jim Mallinder

Davies grabbed the spilt ball and raced across for the try.

Another mistake minutes later, this time from former Wallaby centre Tim Horan, created Sale's second try.

That created a glaring opportunity for England full-back Jason Robinson who was pulled just short of the line.

Hodgson was in place to take the final ball and touch down. He duly converted his own try and cut the deficit to six with another penalty.

But Saracens managed to ride the final minutes of pressure for the win.

Saracens: Winnan, Arasa, Shanklin, Horan, O'Mahony, Castaignede, Bracken, Califano, Cairns, Marsters, Hooper, Yandell, Roche, Hill, Chesney.
Replacements: Ross, Williams, Skirving, Peacey, Kirton, Sorrell, Goode.

Sale: Robinson, Cueto, Harris, Bond, Hanley, Hodgson, Redpath, Thorp, Roddham, Stewart, Fullarton, C. Jones, Anglesea, Pinkerton, Davies.
Replacements: Marais, Yates, Turner, A. Sanderson, Wilkes, Going, Walshe.

Referee: Dave Pearson (RFU)