HEINEKEN CUP: Pool 3 Sale Sharks (10) 26 Tries: Cueto, Sheridan. Cons: Van Straaten (2) Pens: Van Straaten (3) Drop goal: Hodgson. Cardiff Blues (14) 24 Tries: Shanklin, N Thomas Con: Harris Pens: Harris (4) Att: 10,541

Charlie Hodgson settled an enthralling Heineken Cup treat as Sale edged past a determined display from the Cardiff Blues.

The visitors looked to have done enough to earn a precious away win when Iestyn Harris converted Nathan Thomas' try in the closing minutes for a one point lead.

But Sale fly-half Hodgson struck a perfect drop-goal with time fast running out to snatch a scintillating victory.

A bonus point for losing by less than seven points was the only consolation for the Blues.

The Sale faithful gave World Cup winner Jason Robinson a thunderous welcome as he led out the home side, but they were quickly silenced as the Blues made a blistering start.

Relentless surging runs all across the pitch tied in the home defenders and the inevitable overlap on the left wing was coolly finished off by Tom Shanklin with less than two minutes on the clock.

Van Straaten's first penalty just on the quarter hour mark rewarded some sustained Sale pressure, but Harris atoned for his conversion miss to land his first penalty soon after.

We got the win and that's all important Sale coach Jim Mallinder

Sale took the lead for the first time minutes later when Mark Cueto provided the finish after the Sale forwards provided the backs with a perfect platform to spin the ball wide.

Van Straaten's conversion gave the home side a 10-8 lead only for the Blues to immediate hit back with another Harris penalty.

The front rows struggled all half to bind properly in the scrums, and referee Joel Jutge finally lost patience a few minutes before the break and sent Sale prop Andrew Sheridan to the sin bin.

Harris added another penalty from the resulting penalty to give the visitors a 10-14 half-time advantage.

Another Van Straaten penalty brought the sides back to within a point, and third successful kick ten minutes later launched Sale's charge for victory.

It's a very difficlut result to swallow Blues coach David Young

The Sale sharks were beginning to dominate and a serious of battering runs eventually led to Sheridan forcing himself over the tryline.

Cardiff felt they had prevented the prop from grounding the ball, but the try was given. Van Straaten converted to give Sale some breathing space for the first time.

But after performing beyond all expectations up until then, the visitors were determined not to let their hard graft go to waste.

Harris closed the gap with his third penalty and then Thomas finished off a fine move to score the Blues' second try. Harris added the conversion and the Blues were a point ahead with less than 10 minutes to go.

The Sale pack continued to drive their opponents backward, and eventually provided the perfect platform from which Hodgson delivered his killer blow.

Sale Sharks: V Going; M Cueto, B van Straaten, G Bond, J Robinson; C Hodgson, B Redpath; A Sheridan, A Titterrell, B Stewart, D Schofield, I Fullarton, J White, A Sanderson (capt), C Jones.
Replacements: M Cairns, S Turner, C Day, M Lund, C Mayor, J Baxendell, N Walshe

Blues: R Williams; T Shanklin, J Robinson, M Allen, C Morgan; I Harris, R Powell; J Yapp, G Williams, D Crompton, C Quinnell, A Moore, D Baugh, M Williams (capt), N Thomas.
Replacements: B Evans, K Fourie, H Senekal, J Brownrigg, A Moore, N Robinson, N Walne.

Referee: Joel Jutge (France)