SHARKS set a new defensive standard in the Guinness Premiership in a superb 23-9 win over Gloucester on Friday night.

It was the Edgeley Park side's fourth straight game in the competition without conceding a try, a new league record.

But while Sale raised the bar on defence, they also impressed in attack, never giving the visitors even a sniff of victory.

Before the game, Sharks' attacking record had come under serious scrutiny, having scored just once in three games so far this season.

Any question marks were soon removed though as they tripled their try-count for the campaign with scores from Sebastien Chabal and David Doherty - and, in truth, they should have had more.

Prior to Friday's clash, Sharks had been starting games about as quickly as an articulated truck but this time they meant business right from the off.

Although the scoreboard suggested different, they attempted to move the ball at pace, interchanging between their forward battering rams and the fleet-footed runners behind the scrum.

Offering little in return, Gloucester spent much of the time defending their own 22.

Unfortunately though, territorial advantage didn't yield an equivalent points return.

Luke McAlister kicked two penalties - one a superb effort from inside his own half - but Olly Barkley responded with two himself, Gloucester making their rare opportunities count.

Sale had try-scoring chances but they lacked that final bit of conviction - or maybe confidence - to make them count.

Doherty came agonisingly close to his first try for Sharks when he chased a delicate grubber from Charlie Hodgson towards the left corner.

Dribbling the ball over the try-line, he was ready to punce until Rory Lawson clattered straight into him and the ball trickled harmlessly into touch.

But Sharks continued their high-tempo game into the second half and soon got their reward.

Just moments after coming on for Richard Wigglesworth, Dwayne Peel provided the telling pass to Chabal and the flamboyant number 8 burst through the defence to touch down under the posts.

McAlister added the conversion but straight from the restart, Gloucester won a penalty and Barkley again obliged to cut the gap.

Gloucester's big chance to exert some pressure of their own came when Rory Lamont was harshly sin-binned on 54 minutes after he was adjudged to have tackled Mike Tindall dangerously in the air.

But they were continuously outfought up front and instead, Sale continued to dominate.

McAlister surprisingly missed two penalties but when the kicking duties were passed to Lee Thomas he stepped up to blast one from his own half and extend their lead.

Barkley was unable to respond when he was handed another decent chance for three points and Sharks soon put the result beyond doubt.

A barnstorming run from McAlister split the Gloucester defence and fed the ball out wide to Doherty, who finally got his first score for his new club.

Sale: Lamont; Tait, McAlister, Thomas (Bell 79), Doherty (Cueto 80); Hodgson, Wigglesworth (Peel 49); Faure (Roberts 73), Bruno (Briggs 69), Turner; Cox, Cockbain (Schofield 55); Ormsby, Abraham (White 77), Chabal (captain).

Gloucester: Balshaw; Simpson-Daniel (Tindall 53) (Walker 79), Watkins, Barkley, Vainikolo; Lamb, Lawson (Cooper 50); Dickinson, Azam (Titterrell 73), Young (Wood 50); Bortolami, Brown (Strokosch 73); Buxton (captain), Hazell, Narraway.

Not used: Satala Walker.

Referee: Andrew Small

Attendance: 9,019

Star man: Sebastien Chabal