SALE retained top spot in National 3 North with a 10-try burst in a 58-12 demolition of basement club Beverley.

The hosts quickly built up a lead with Ciaran Connolly scoring two tries within 11 minutes, the first when he kicked over the Beverley defence and regained possession to score, and the second when he spun out of a tackle to double Sale’s lead.

Sale were dominating the play and extended their lead five minutes later when Jack Moorhouse finished off a move set up by a strong run from Mark Lawrence, with Liam McGovern adding the conversion. The first quarter ended with a break by scrum half Sam Stelmaszek and an inside pass to McGovern for the Sale captain to touch down and add the conversion for a 24-0 lead.

Although Sale lost Connolly to injury they continued to put points on the board and in a six-minute spell before half time scored three tries.

Slick passing by the backs put Lawrence over and Moorhouse then touched down after fine work by Davenport, Flynn and Davies.

The half came to a close when a loose pass by Beverley saw Stelmaszek kick ahead, regain possession and score by the posts and McGovern kicked the conversion to put Sale 41-0 ahead at the break.

Beverley now had a strong wind in their favour and six minutes into the second half a fine run from Sam Atiola put James Wright over for a try.

Ten minutes later Danny Waddy scored a try from a catch and drive in the Beverley 22, and four minutes later Adam Aigbokhae powered his way over with McGovern adding the extras to put Sale 53-5 ahead.

In the closing minutes of the game Aigbokhae put in a powerful run from just inside the Beverley half to score once more, but it was Beverley who had the last word with a try from Wright after an 80-metre run by the winger, converted by Ryan Murray to complete the scoring.