Dramatic Win Seals Fine Performance
Paddy Lennon reports from Edgeley Park
Showing an ice cool temperament that would have done justice to his more illustrious counterpart on the Newcastle team, Barry Everitt clinically struck a penalty in the second minute of injury time to give London Irish a deserved victory in Edgeley Park last night. That he did so in the face of an unsporting barrage of noise from 99 per cent of the 8,200 crowd only enhances his achievement.
That the game was to finish in such a dramatic fashion was a fitting conclusion to what had happened in the previous 81 minutes. It was a game that did credit to the sport of rugby union as the players on both teams tried to secure an advantage that would prove crucial at the final whistle.
For the purists there were plenty of examples of the finer techniques of the modern game. Defenders that made big tackles time and again, lineout jumping of the highest order, passages of ball handling that were skilful and intricate, backs prepared to run at every opportunity, flankers and props that took the ball up time and again and ball carrying that consistently broke the gain line. That London Irish did these things better and more consistently than their opponents was the foundation for an exceptional victory.
Sale had been undefeated at home in the Premiership since the Exiles' last visit on 31st October last year. That combined with a record of five wins out of five in the current campaign meant that they were overwhelming favourites with the pundits to secure another win - one of the latter was rash enough to forecast a home win by 22 points!
Irish showed great confidence and patience in recovering from the worst possible start. In the second minute, a Jason Robinson punt down the left wing was followed up by Steve Hanley. Himself and Delon Armitage jumped for the ball, the Sale winger had the good fortune to spoil Armitage's catch and passed to Sebastian Bruno who had a clear run to score the opening try. Charlie Hodgson converted for a 7-0 lead.
 The Exiles regrouped under Kieron Dawson's leadership and went about playing themselves back into the game. They were rewarded for their efforts with a penalty in the sixth minute when Sale were penalised for not clearing from a ruck. Everitt struck the ball beautifully and it sailed between the posts form 45 metres. His opposite number displayed uncharacteristic inaccuracy missed with a penalty in the 11th minute. Everitt was to strike again with another penalty for the same offence in the 15th minute.
Either side of the mid-point of the half, Irish were forced to defend. For the second game in succession Neal Hatley and Rob Hardwick were prominent in making big tackles time after time in a display that belied their years. They were assisted by hooker, Robbie Russell in what was his finest display for Irish to date. This aggressive defence upset the home team and created a platform for scrum-half Paul Hodgson to operate. The 24 year old improves with each game as he cajoles and encourages his pack. In the 23rd minute it was a break by him that sent Justin Bishop off down the left, Bishop passed to Geoff Appleford who was unlucky to be forced into touch just short of the line. Two minutes later the incident was repeated, this time on the right, as Armitage was stopped with a couple of metres to go.
The home side always looked dangerous going forward with ball in hand. While Irish's defensive tactics nullified the threat of Jason Robinson for the most part, they were forced to concede a penalty in the 29th minute. Hodgson converted to stretch his team's lead to 10-6.
The lead was to last just two minutes. Appleford took the ball up in midfield, straightened the line and passed to Delon Armitage on the left. He slipped an attempted tackle by Hanley and beat Robinson for pace to run in for a glorious try from 40 metres. Everitt missed the difficult conversion but the Exiles were in the lead for the first time in the game.
Sale responded but were faced with formidable defence at every turn. Denied of their lineout platform by another outstanding display by Bob Casey and Nick Kennedy, ably assisted by Phil Murphy, the home side's frustration started to show. Fortunately the referee's whistle brought the opening half to an end.
Defending a one point advantage was always going to be demanding especially for a visiting team but Irish started the second period were they had left off in the first. The Exiles' lineout tactics were decisive and combined with Hodgson's astute box kicks, kept Sale off guard. The young scrum half also brought the home side's much vaunted No 8, Sebastien Chabal, literally crashing down to earth with courageous tackles.
When the home side came forward the Irish defence was secure with every man playing his part. Twenty-one year old Nils Mordt had arguably his best game at senior level. Another young man playing his 100th senior game for Irish chose the occasion to give a display of flank forward play that would have had any coach purring with satisfaction. Whether it was in defence, in the scrum, rolling maul, lineout or in the thankless task of taking the ball up time and again, Declan Danaher proved that he is on his way back to his best form following his pre-season injury.
Irish were dominating possession as the game neared the end of the third quarter. Sale conceded a penalty for coming into the ruck from the side. Everitt struck his third penalty from 25 metres to the left of the posts for a score of 10-14. However, everyone in the ground knew that it was not enough to assure victory and the home crowd roared its encouragement.
Irish substituted Ryan Strudwick for Kennedy in the 57th and it proved to be a crucial replacement. Strudwick was immediately in action in defence. Irish conceded a penalty in the 61st minute but once again Hodgson missed narrowly. He was successful eight minutes later when Irish were penalised for not clearing from the ruck.
At 13-14 with ten minutes to go the game was set up for a riveting finale. Realising the importance of the moment, the Exiles' extraordinary group of travelling supporters yet again made their voices and drums heard as they encouraged the team for the final effort. The home crowd responded and Edgeley Park echoed.
Back on the pitch, cool heads were required by both teams. Fortunately Irish had more of them. Michael Horak used his physical strength and pace to take the ball up winning vital metres. Sale's defence proved resilient and on three occasions Hodgson's tactical kicks sent Irish retreating into their half. Irish were forced to defend and conceded a penalty with two minutes of normal time remaining. An eerie silence fell on the stadium as Hodgson stepped up for the kick. To his credit he sent the ball between the posts from 40 metres to give his team the lead for the first time in the half. Edgeley Park erupted.
From the restart Irish set about securing vital field positions in the Sale half. The home defence held until the second minute of injury time. Barry Everitt attempted a kick ahead from 25 metres for his forwards to chase. The kick was deflected by a Sale defender forward into the arms of Ryan Strudwick who caught it. In deflecting the ball it became playable and in catching it Strudwick caught the home backs offside. Referee Leyshon had no choice but to award the penalty. Confronted with noisy booing and shouting from the home fans, Everitt responded in the best possible manner by stroking his fourth and most crucial penalty between the posts for a remarkable one point victory that left his team elated and the current Premiership leaders and their supporters deflated.
Gary Gold was full of praise for his team after the match. "Everyone one of them was fantastic. They had an outstanding captain in Kieron Dawson who led by example. Our lineout was sublime and gave us a platform to play off. It was our finest defensive display of the season to date against three of this country's finest backs. Given that we have serious injuries to four key players and had two more late withdrawals this week, I am enormously proud of our squad and how they responded to tonight's challenge."
Scorers: Sale Sharks: Try: Bruno (2min); Conversion: Hodgson. Penalty goals: Hodgson 3 (29, 69, 78). London Irish: Try: Armitage (31). Penalty goals: Everitt 4 (6, 15, 57, 82).
Scoring sequence: 7-0, 7-3, 7-6, 10-6, 10-11 (half-time) 10-14, 13-14, 16-14, 16-17.
Sale Sharks: J Robinson (captain), M Cueto, C Rhys Jones (rep: J Taumalolo, 64), R Todd, S Hanley (rep: M Hercus, 40), C Hodgson, B Redpath (rep: S Martens, 57), T Woodman (rep: A Sheridan, 40), S Bruno, S Turner, D Schofield (rep: C Day, 47), C Jones, J White, M Lund (rep: A Titterrell, 51), S Chabal.
London Irish: M Horak, D Armitage, G Appleford, N Mordt, J Bishop, B Everitt, P Hodgson, N Hatley, R Russell, R Hardwick (rep: P Durant, 76), N Kennedy (rep: R Strudwick, 57), B Casey, D Danaher, K Dawson (captain), P Murphy
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