ON a hot afternoon in Herefordshire, a much-changed Sale first XV finally completed their league season going down 47-24 to a strong-running Luctonians side by seven tries to four.

The hosts were quickly out of the blocks and had a score in the fourth minute from winger Rhyan Scott-Young with the conversion from scrum half Louis Silver.

Sale struggled to get into the match and Luctonians extended their lead with a second try seven minutes later from number eight Aiden Cheshire.

The visitors finally managed to have some say in affairs when Adam Greendale produced an excellent dummy a few minutes later to slice through the home defence to touch down and add the conversion.

Luctonians maintained the pressure, though, and before the end of the first quarter, after Sale lost possession, Joe Doyle scored their try.

The frenetic start subsided slightly and the game became a more even contest with Sale’s Sam Stelmaszek putting in a superb clearance kick to take play from the Sale 22 to well inside home territory.

However, the hosts claimed a fourth try on 30 minutes following slick handling by the backs before the move was finished off by flanker Daniel Smith to make it 28-7 with Silver kicking all four conversions in the half.

Despite the deficit Sale responded well moving into the home half once more before a blind-side run from Tom Ailes sent Elliot Fletcher over for a try in the corner, his fourth in successive matches, to leave the hosts 28-12 ahead at the break.

The home side began the second half as they had the first, scoring two tries early.

The first came after two minutes as lock John Kelly intercepted a long pass to race in unopposed, and almost immediately his second-row partner Michael Cheasley finished off another move to put Luctonians 30 points clear.

Despite the gap Sale did not capitulate and two fine tries from Ailes – sandwiching a try for Luctonians by Geraint Langdon – completed the scoring.