Bristol (3) 6
Pens: Jarvis, Barnes

Sale (3) 9
Pens: McAlister 3

McAlister's goalkicking proved to be the difference between the sides

Sale moved to the top of the Guinness Premiership table as they condemned struggling Bristol to a third straight defeat at the Memorial Stadium.

The Sharks, who have yet to concede a try this season, took the lead through a Luke McAlister penalty after Bristol's Ed Barnes was sin-binned.

Adrian Jarvis's kick sent the teams in level at the break, before McAlister kicked Sale ahead once again.

McAlister's third kick made it 9-3 to Sale, and Barnes's reply was too late.

The defeat kept Bristol stuck at the bottom of the table, and - taking last season into account - was their ninth successive league defeat.

Bristol started promisingly through Tom Arscott's powerful run before Jarvis missed with a penalty chance.

Sale tried to play with some ambition, with Dwayne Peel providing plenty of spark at scrum-half, and they were rewarded with McAlister's long-range penalty.

Barnes was sin-binned for dissent, but Bristol's 14 men replied through Jarvis's kick.

Sharks lock Chris Jones knocked on with the try-line in sight but the first half was a major disappointment from an entertainment point of view.

The second half was little better with aimless kicking and regular interventions from the referee ensuring the match struggled to get out of first gear.

McAlister edged Sale ahead on 47 minutes with Bristol becoming increasingly reliant on livewire winger David Lemi as an attacking outlet.

Another McAlister kick on 55 minutes gave Sale some breathing room but it was hard going for the visitors.

Barnes kicked Bristol to within three points but Sale's rock-solid defence held on to seal the victory.

Bristol coach Richard Hill:

"It was a big improvement, and that sets the marker now for the rest of the season.

"The intensity in training this week was markedly different and better from what it had been, and we need to replicate that this week.

"It is about getting that first win of the season now."

Sale coach Philippe Saint-Andre:

"I am pleased with the win, but not the performance.

"The set piece was much better, but at times we lost possession too quickly.

"Our defensive record is very good, but we have only scored one try in three games. We still have a lot of things to improve."

Bristol: L Arscott; T Arscott, Brew, Barnes, Lemi, Jarvis, Beveridge; Clarke, Linklater, Hobson; Sambucetti, Budgett; To'oala, El Abd (capt), Ward-Smith.
Replacements: Blaney, Bracken, Winters, Pennycook, Thomas, Lilo, Barden.

Sale: Tait, Cueto, McAlister, Thomas, Lamont, Hodgson, Peel, Sheridan, Bruno, Roberts, Jones, Schofield, Ormsby, Abraham, Chabal (capt).
Replacements: Briggs, Turner, Cox, White, Wigglesworth, Bell, Ripol.

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