Super Sale upset Bristol

Not a good start for Bristol coach Dean Ryan

Bristol 25-35 Sale

Sale claimed all four points against Bristol on the opening day of the Premiership campaign at the Memorial Stadium.

Flanker Stu Pinkerton and wing Steve Hanley left it late as their tries ensured a well-earned victory.

The visitors gave Bristol's Australian fly-half Shane Drahm 11 penalty kicks at goal but were helped as he only landed only six of them.

Drahm had a chance to tie the game at 28-28 in the last minute but his 20-metre penalty attempt sailed agonisingly wide.

Sale then broke forward for Hanley to score the match-winning try.

It was a shocking start for Bristol's new signings - notably Australian World Cup winner Jason Little and England prop Julian White.

Pinkerton impresses

Sale were even able to impress with Jason Robinson watching the action from the full-back position.

Pinkerton and his fellow new arrival, former Bath prop Kevin Yates, both worked tirelessly.

A scrappy first half came to life on 22 minutes when Sale wing Mark Cueto sprinted past Drahm for a well-worked try.

Little then helped Bristol to a 16-10 lead but Sale hit back immediately as fly-half Charlie Hodgson's superb break set up a period of pressure.

Centre Dan Harris powered over to deny Bristol an interval lead.

Despite his misses, Drahm still finished the game with 20 points, yet Bristol were unable to press home their advantage of leading for much of the second half.

It was not until seven minutes from time when Pinkerton capitalised on a mistake by Bristol scrum-half Agustin Pichot that Sale edged ahead for the first time since the interval.