Sale Sharks v Gloucester LIVE: Gallagher Premiership updates from the AJ Bell Stadium

Sale Sharks returned to winning ways with a convincing bonus-point win in slippery conditions against Gloucester in Salford.

With George Ford pulling the strings on his return from England duty, the lively Arron Reed crossed twice before half-time as Sale showed great quality when putting the ball through the hands.

The wet surface ensured that the ball saw plenty of air time under the Friday night lights, but it was Sale who always looked the more likely to turn that territory game into points on the board, and they duly did when Ben Curry crossed moments after coming on, making an instant impression on his first appearance in over six months.

And Sale made the game safe when Argentina’s Agustin Creevy scored on his Sale debut, burrowing over in typical powerful style from close range moments after Gus Warr had made a try-saving intervention at the other end.

Gloucester added a consolation score at the death, but this was a night for Sale, who will have increasing aspirations of competing for the title on this evidence.

Creevy made an amazing impact on his debut for Sale.

“He trained for 18 minutes and played more tonight than he has in the past five months,” joked his new coach Alex Sanderson, who added:

Hear from the man himself, tonight’s Player of the Match, Gus Warr:

Potentially the defining moment of the match came at exactly the moment that the referee Anthony Woodthorpe took a bit of a tumble:

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It was Reed who had given Sale the lead at the end of a flowing move:

Reed was at his lightning best to help take advantage of a Gloucester error for his second try of the evening:

It’s a bonus point win at home for Sale Sharks, who bounce back well to record their third win from four matches this season. Arron Reed bagged two before the break, and tries from Ben Curry and Agustin Creevy made the game safe.

It’s a bizarre try as a deflected kick falls into Gloucester hands up-field, with everybody now onside, and Freddie Thomas strolls in under the posts. The conversion is simple and good.

Gloucester could have been right back in this game had Warr not held them up in the corner, but the referee stole the limelight with a spectacular tumble at the crucial moment.

Sale are playing some great rugby now, with the conditions slightly drier and the scoreboard giving their playmakers some security. It’s going to be fascinating to see how their creative partnerships develop over the course of the season… not my words, but those of Austin Healy over on TNT Sports 1.

George Ford makes the conversion, much to the delight of the home fans, and that’s the game in the bag surely?

The bonus point is in the bag and it’s Creevy who burrows over to score Sale’s fourth of the night, timing his attack perfectly off the back of a driving maul.

A bonus point is in their sights and Sale go close as a Du Preez kick through is scrambled into touch by Young right by the corner.

Warr does amazingly well to hold up a certain Gloucester try after a flowing attacking move. It’s a brilliant bit of defence, and made even more watchable by the misfortune of referee Anthony Woodthorpe, who slipped at precisely the moment he needed to see what had happened.

George Ford goes long with a kick but doesn’t find touch, and then he has a double fumble as he receives a booming effort back again. The chase is right on him as he turns, forcing a little sideways pass to Sam James, whose kick into touch is shanked, giving Gloucester great field position.

Take a look at that try from the returning Ben Curry:

The home side make a few more changes, with a deserved rest for Bevan Rodd on his return from the England camp.

It’s been class from Sale in the last few minutes, going through phase after phase with the ball in hand. It’s great to see.

Bedlow stops Tuisue dead in his tracks, which takes some doing. That’s a big hit and halts Gloucester’s momentum as they try and put together some attacking phases.