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As in many of Newcastle’s games this season, it looked like one-way traffic from their opponents from kick-off.
Making his first start at outside center with Luke James ill, Roebuck crossed with a minute on the clock, cutting inside from the left after a hand-off from Reid, George Ford slotting the extras.
Newcastle’s Simon Benitez-Cruz saw a try chalked-off for a forward pass before Seb Kelly headed up the other end for his first Premier try on six minutes after a nifty break down the line from Reid stopped just short of the line.
The hosts got on the board on 10 minutes after a series of close-range drives with Christie diving under a pile of bodies to touch down the whitewash.
O’Flaherty scored a third try with 15 minutes to go after Roebuck’s basketball-style tip returned from the touchline, Ford targeting the extras from outside.
Joe Carpenter secured the bonus-point try on 24 minutes after taking a short pass from a charging Ford, the England fly-half adding the extra.
Amanaki Mafi bulldozed over from a close-range scrum to reduce the Red Bulls’ arrears as the heavens opened, although the conversion was again missed and Sale added their fifth try through Alfie Longstaff after a rolling stool from a line-out, Ford kicking over from his fifth conversion.
Sale had to fight to get ahead after the turnover and the hosts made them pay as Harrison exploded to tip Obatowinbo’s pass by the posts, with Brett Conan slotting his first conversion to make it 35-17.
Lockwood picked up and dived in the corner after Christian Wade stopped a meter short of the line after collecting a long diagonal kick and Ben Healy converted from the touchline to make it an 11-point game with 25 minutes remaining.
Roebuck thought he had won the race to Newcastle-bound Raffy Quirk’s grubber kick after driving forward and then towards the line but it was ruled out for O’Flaherty’s knock-on and the hosts made a hostile goalline stand to relieve the Sharks, with Roebuck held on the line.
The wave of pressure continued and Reed eventually crossed with quick hands from Quirk, Ford and O’Flaherty, with Ford adding the conversion.
However, Newcastle hit back and with 13 minutes remaining a superb flick from Healy sent Christie diving over for his second score in the right corner.
In the 72nd minute Healy was again the provider with a late pass to send Harley over the right of the uprights for his second and then convert to make it a four-point deficit.
The hosts weren’t going to settle for a close call after a win in 547 days and went away from their own 22 after blazing away from half-time to collect a short pass with the clock ticking on 80 minutes and spark wild scenes in the final game of the season at Kingston Park.
