Leeds (0) 3
Pens: Di Bernardo

Charlie Hodgson kicked 19 points as Sale cruised to victory over Leeds.

Sale were dominant from the start and raced into a 9-0 lead thanks to three penalties from outside-half Hodgson.

Centre Luke McAlister got their first try breaking through from his own half to cross, which Hodgson converted for a 16-0 lead at the break.

Alberto Di Bernado fired over their only points after the break, but Chris Bell's converted try and two further Hodgson penalties secured victory.

"It's very disappointing not to get a bonus point, although it was important to get the win full stop.

"When you create so many opportunities - I think we created five or six in the first half - but just couldn't score. We dropped the ball and there is much to improve upon.

"We were not clinical enough and we were not patient enough - at times we didn't have enough quality.

"I see it as a point lost and that could be crucial as we want to finish in the top four at the end of the season."

"I think we were lucky to only lose 29-3. From our point of view it was a disappointing performance - you can't dress it up any other way.

"We made unforced errors and were dominated in most aspects of the game. Our defence was excellent though and it needed to be.

"I thought we started well but we needed to take the points on offer - we didn't and Sale just turned the screw.

"They are a quality side and their superiority told - we just weren't good enough on the day."

Sale: Cueto, Mayor, McAlister, Thomas, Ripol, Hodgson, Wigglesworth, Faure, Bruno, Turner, Schofield, Cockbain, Cox, Lund, Chabal.
Replacements: Laharrague for Mayor (45), Bell for Thomas (53), Cliff for Wigglesworth (74), Halsall for Faure (72), Briggs for Bruno (64), J. Fernandez Lobbe for Lund (50), Bonner-Evans for Chabal (74).

Leeds Carnegie: Hinton, Holtby, Hepworth, Blackett, Biggs, Di Bernardo, Bedford, MacDonald, Ma'asi, McGee, Lund, Bouza, Dunbar, Clark, Oakley.
Replacements: Vickerman for Blackett (67), Tuilagi for Biggs (40), Brooks for Bedford (18), Parkes for Ma'asi (67), Cusack for McGee (53), Myall for Bouza (53), Balding for Oakley (40).

Sin Bin: Balding (70).

Att: 8,006

Ref: Dean Richards (RFU).