Sale Sharks rugby director Alex Sanderson felt his team deserved more from their 19-11 Premiership defeat at league leaders Leicester Tigers last weekend.

Kieran Wilkinson kicked two penalties for Sale and hooker Curtis Langdon scored a late try, but it was another outstanding Tigers victory as they continued an impressive resurgence under boss Steve Borthwick.

Tom Curtis’ missed last-gasp conversion meant Sale failed to secure a losing bonus point as they slipped to a third defeat of the league campaign.

But Sanderson conceded his team squandered too many opportunities in the east Midlands.

He said: “I thought we deserved a point from the effort and intensity we showed, the territory we got and the opportunities that we had.

“It’s not a fairytale, though, is it, this game?

“We squandered too many opportunities in the first half and couldn’t become dominant in the second half at the set-piece and breakdown. Those were the two things that really lost us the game. Two breakdown penalties led to six points for Leicester.

“You’ve got to give credit to Leicester. They squeezed us out at the end, really, but we must also look at ourselves.

“We can get a better result next time by having better execution.”

Borthwick was naturally delighted with a home win and praised England international half-backs George Ford and Ben Youngs after the Tigers claimed a sixth successive league victory.

“Today was different to any game we have played this season - the most similar was probably the Saracens game (Leicester won 13-12),” Borthwick said.

“George Ford did a really good job to get us into a position to win the game.

“And Ben was tremendous. When an opportunity presents itself, there are not too many better around than Ben Youngs, and I think he is getting sharper and sharper.

“He did some real good things.”