After the restart Carlos Spencer broke through the Sale defensive line, another common sight in this free-flowing game. The referee blew for an infringement of some sort in the ruck, and it looked like the scores might already be levelled, but Reihana missed the 50-metre kick for goal.

Steve Thompson was having an entertaining day for Northampton. Quite apart from picking fights with the Sale front row, and Jason White, he was also making some interesting tactical decisions. Ant one point the Northampton back line were looking their usual dangerous selves, passing out wide to Thompson on the win, who turned to his left looking for support to pass to, before clearly realising to his horror that he was the acting winger, to the crowds audible amusement. At another point he kicked to the opposite touch line from a lineout, perhaps trying to emulate Hodsgon's famous cross-field kicks.

There was more fighting - this time Northampton's Digger on Cueto, for pushing him into touch. A more serious incident came a minute or so later when Northampton's blind sside flanker decided the best way to tackle Sebastien Bruno was to elbow him in the face. It worked, but it also got him sent off, and allowed Hodgeson to kick his second penalty of the day making he scores 6-0. Now, not only were Northampton a man up, but Sale had four flankers on the pitch.

Twenty minutes in and Northampton got their second chance to get into the game, and this time Reihana took it majestically to make the score 6-3.

It did not take long for the Sharks to make the most of their advantage however. Wave after wave of Sale attack saw them flowing down the pitch in a move that ended in a beautiful sequence Cueto, to Hodgson, to Chabal and back to Cueto who bounded across the line for a try. Hodgson maintained his 100% record this season to put the Sharks 13-3 up with 17 minutes remaining in the half. He the proceeded to orchestrate the Sale Sharks time and again into their opponents' territory three times in the next ten minutes, and came away each time with a score - two precision drop goals and one penalty struck almost from the halfway line. From nowhere the Sharks were now leading by 22 points to 3.

There was a slick determination about Hodgson, as though he had something to prove. This passage of play was what ended Northampton's game, and had they not scored a consolation try in the final seconds of injury time they may well have been humiliated in the second half.

As it was, the consolation try was followed after the interval with another five minutes into the second half putting the Saints within striking distance at 22-15. But the run of play was fairly even at this point and one sensed that Sale deserved more of their own as the play swept up and down the field, both sides excellent in attack, breakable in defence. With 25 minutes on the clock Magnus Lund charged down a kick and followed the ball across the line for his first try of the year. 29-15.

Unfortunately he could not go for a second, as the referee soon sent him off for infringements in the ruck, much to the disbelief of the Sale faithful. Northampton kicked for touch to set up a line out inches from the try line. The next few minutes were a scrappy affair, Hodgson making perhaps his only real error of the game, kicking a very poor clearance kick.

Shortly after this Carlos Spencer was seen by many to stamp on a prone Charlie Hodgson, having threatened to punch him. Sale fans do not take kindly to their prize possession being put in threat, and from that point on, every time Spencer got the ball he was treated to jeers and boos. That might seem a touch unsporting, but if the referee won't pass judgement, it seems the Cheadle End certainly will.

Hodgson got to kick a penalty shortly after, though not for Spencer's foul, and his last points of the game were duly scored, 32-15.

Northampton did cross a third time, but the game was well and truly sewn up by an unparalleled performance from Hodgson.

It is telling however, that the team never returned to the pitch for a victory lap. Perhaps Saint-Andre wanted more and was issuing stern words ...

Report by Ben Lomond for salesupporters.co.uk