SALE FC's unbeaten home run came to an end with a 32-18 defeat against Blackheath.

Without defeat in their last four home games, Sale succumbed to two late penalty tries, having played three quarters of the match with 14 men, and the closing minutes with 13 – the result of a red card in each half.

Blackheath were quickly into their stride, winning a penalty in the first minute, kicked by centre Leo Fielding.

Sale responded to the challenge, taking the game to the visitors and winning consecutive penalties, taking them within range of the posts, Emiliano Calle Rivas taking his opportunity to equalise.

Another penalty took them close to the Blackheath line and a clean take at the line-out provided a platform for a driving maul from which Stone Priestley-Nangle burst over the line to score a well-deserved try.

Within minutes, Blackheath levelled, scoring a try in the corner and shortly after Sale prop Joe Kelly was given a  red card, reducing them to 14 men.

But a Calle Rivas penalty on the half hour took the half-time score to 11-8.

The second half began with Sale’s 14 men yet again taking the game to the visitors, forcing a misdirected clearance kick and winning line-out possession. With centre Johnny Leota in the thick of things, a solid ruck provided the base to feed full-back Robbie Povey, who in turn linked up with winger Paolo Odogwu and his powerful run took him over in the corner for a try which was skilfully converted by Calle Rivas to take Sale FC into a 10-point lead. 

The hosts kept their lead with a combination of solid defence and effective counter-attacking when, on 60 minutes, Blackheath flanker Harry Bate won the ball just inside the Sale half, breaking free of the back line to run 45 metres to the try line and score under the posts.

Having added the extra points, the score was now tied at 18-18.

As the match drew to a close, and with the home team tiring as a result of their outstanding effort against superior numbers, a procession of reset scrums concluded with a penalty try in the visitors' favour, taking them into a seven-point lead.

Immediately following the restart, a punch was spotted by the referee who did not hesitate in showing a red card to Sale hooker Neil Briggs.

The match concluded with another penalty try for Blackheath as the Sale pack struggled against a two-man advantage.