SALE FC ran in four tries to beat National League Two North bottom club Harrogate 37-13 on Saturday.

After a 23-5 defeat at Leicester Lions the previous weekend, Sale were keen to bounce back on home soil at Heywood Road.

But it was Harrogate who opened the scoring in the ninth minute with a well-struck penalty from kicker Charles Morgan.

Sale hit back strongly and in the 16th minute Joe Kelly went over for the opening try.

A well-taken line-out from Sale saw the prop go over from close range and captain Liam McGovern was on hand to add the extras.

Play remained even until the 23rd minute when Ben Curry was yellow carded and Morgan added another three points for Harrogate from the resulting penalty.

The visitors used their pack well with the extra man and in the 33rd minute a series of five-metre scrums to the Yorkshire men eventually led to the referee awarding a penalty try which was converted by Morgan.

An action-packed first half was not yet finished with McGovern stepping up and converting two penalties in as many minutes, leaving the sides level at 13-13 going into the break.

After the interval Sale started off with all guns blazing and a Chris Johnson penalty in the 46th minute was the beginning of an intense period of pressure.

Two minutes later superb handling from inside the Sale half ended with Jack Moorhouse going on a mazy 40-metre run to outstrip the Harrogate defence before touching down in the corner. McGovern once again added the extras to give Sale a 10-point advantage.

In the 57th minute more eye-catching rugby was on show from the Sale backs, with man-of-the-match Chris Mayor leading the charge.

Some fine handling set Scott Rawlings free to score his first try for the club and McGovern was once again on target with the conversion.

A number of substitutions broke up the play until the 67th minute when Sale secured the bonus point after Tom Aisles went over following some effective work down the left flank. McGovern was successful with his sixth kick of the afternoon to give Sale victory.

The win leaves Sale in second place, two points behind leaders Caldy.