SHARKS fell to their third straight EDF Cup defeat as they lost 30-20 at Leicester Tigers on Friday.

Defeat condemned Sale to bottom spot in group B of the competition, with just two points from their three games.

It could have been very different were it not for a disastrous final six minutes in which the visitors conceded 10 unanswered points after they had managed to fight their way back from 13-0 down to 20-20 .

And the result didn’t mask the positives for Sharks.

Chris Bell scored two tries for the second game running to give Sharks’ coaches a good selection problem in midfield, while the matchday 22 included 16 players aged 25 or under.

There were also debuts for promising youngsters Ed Styles and Mark Atkinson, both just 18 years old.

But Sale’s young charges didn’t make the best of starts and after giving away a couple of early penalties, Derick Hougaard put the hosts 6-0 up within 13 minutes.

Pressure mounted on Sharks as Leicester developed a head of steam up front.

A series of Tigers attacking scrums again put the visitors in penalty trouble and it was no surprise when Rob O’Donnell was sent to the sin-bin on 17 minutes.

Sharks just couldn’t hold out and a minute later, the referee awarded a penalty try to Leicester, Hougaard converting.

With Dwayne Peel pulling the strings at scrum half, Sale improved as half time approached, but it was only after the interval they made their mark.

Fly half Nick Macleod kicked two penalties to put them within touching distance and then a moment of magic from Bell pulled them level on 50 minutes.

The centre kicked ahead from a loose ball and chased almost 60 metres to score, Macleod converting.

Leicester’s response was swift and just eight minutes later, good work from Tom Varndell set up Tom Youngs to score, Hougaard again converting.

But Sale were not done and Atkinson made a break before feeding Bell for another long-distance try. Macleod added the extras but then missed an ambitious penalty attempt from inside his own half.

Hougaard scored a penalty of his own to re-establish Leicester’s lead and as time ran out, Sharks did everything they could to try and snatch a win.

It just wasn’t to be though and Jordan Crane picked up a fumble by Dean Schofield to score with the final play of the game, Craig Newby converting.