Sale (6) 18
Pens: Hodgson 2, McAlister 3 Drop: Hodgson

Saracens (9) 15
Pens: Jackson 5

Hodgson struck deep into injury time to send Sale top of the Premiership

Charlie Hodgson landed a drop-goal deep in injury time to give Sale a second win of the new season on a night where all the points came from the boot.

Glen Jackson kicked Saracens into a 9-0 lead but Hodgson trimmed the gap with two penalties before the break.

Luke McAlister slotted two penalties after the re-start to give Sale the lead but Jackson levelled the scores.

McAlister restored Sale's lead and although Jackson landed a fifth penalty Hodgson secured Sale a nail-biting win.

Saracens dominated the opening 30 minutes as the likes of Chris Jack, Steve Borthwick, Hugh Vyvyan and Michael Owen had a field day up front.

The visitors also showed much more skill and purpose in the backs and they pinned Sale in their own half.

Three Jackson penalties were no more than they deserved but the loss of scrum-half Neil de Kock to a blow to the face after 29 minutes knocked them out of their stride.

McAlister began to find some rhythm and he helped lay the platform for Hodgson to trim the gap to three points by half-time.

The discarded England fly-half could have levelled the scores but skewed a third penalty wide of the posts from 25m just before the break and McAlister assumed kicking duties after the restart.

Two well-struck penalties edged Sale 12-9 ahead by the 45th minute before Saracens were controversially denied a try.

Saracens flanker Andy Saull weaved his way through the Sale defence with some delightful footwork but referee Rob Debney decided the young forward had knocked on before grounding the ball.

Debney was forced to lecture Sebastien Chabal and Borthwick in the 56th minute as tempers began to fray and Jackson claimed his fourth penalty of the evening moments later to level the scores at 12-12.

A penalty apiece from McAlister and Jackson meant the scores were still locked together as the final whistle loomed before Hodgson stepped up to slot the winning drop-goal and send Sale to the top of the Premiership table.

"We had a very honest discussion with Charlie and he's come back even stronger.

"Last week he scored a try to win the game and now he has showed strength in his mind to score a drop-goal."

Saracens director of rugby Eddie Jones:
"It's the luck of the draw if you get those things (the try decision) and I'm very proud of our boys' effort and I thought our application was far better than last week."

Sale: M Tait; R Lamont, McAlister, Bell, Doherty; Hodgson, Wigglesworth; Sheridan, Bruno, Roberts, Cox, Cockbain, C Jones, Abraham, Chabal.

Replacements: Peel for Wigglesworth (56), Briggs for Bruno (56), Faure for Roberts (71), Ormsby for Cox (71), Schofield for Cockbain (63).

Not Used: Cueto, Ripol.

Saracens: Haughton; Penney, Sorrell, Powell, Ratuvou; Jackson, De Kock; Aguero, Ongaro, Johnson, Borthwick, Vyvyan, Jack, Saull, Owen.

Replacements: Rauluni for De Kock (29), Cairns for Ongaro (64), Visagie for Johnson (56), Wyles for Borthwick (64).

Not Used: Chesney, Skirving, Ross.

Att: 8,321

Ref: Rob Debney (Leicestershire).