Thomas kicks Sale to victory

A summer of shame saw three former Bath players found guilty of failing to turn up for drugs tests and Dean Richards' career destroyed after his pivotal role in the Bloodgate affair at Harlequins was exposed.

This match was not quite the perfect antidote to those damaging scandals but it was a tentative step, however small, in the right direction as Sale defied the critics to record a win and limit Leicester to four Jeremy Staunton penalties.

Charlie Hodgson missed a Sale penalty from 40 metres in the ninth minute and opposite number Staunton put Leicester ahead with a three-pointer of his own four minutes later.

The lead was short-lived as Welsh centre Thomas assumed kicking duties and landed the first of his three first-half penalties.

Thomas added his second three-pointer shortly before the half-hour mark after Leicester's Louis Deacon was sin-binned for persistent infringement.

The Tigers then advanced down the left flank and although the move was halted, the visitors kept the ball alive and a spell of sustained pressure forced a penalty which Staunton converted to reduce Sale's lead to three points at the break.

The Sharks' 9-6 interval lead was wiped out two minutes after the restart when Staunton's third penalty drew Leicester level but two more penalties from Thomas edged Sale 15-9 ahead by the 53rd minute.

Sale introduced Mathew Tait shortly before the hour mark, and moments later Thomas spurned an opportunity to stretch his side's lead when he kicked a penalty wide.

Staunton's fourth penalty cut the gap to three points with 10 minutes remaining and a spell of late Leicester pressure saw Staunton have the chance to level, but he sent his penalty wide from near to the touchline.