Nick Evans kicked 9 points and set up two tries as Harlequins claimed a crucial 24–20 Guinness Premiership victory at Edgeley Park, moving them into play-off contention with five rounds remaining.
Harlequins claimed a vital Guinness Premiership away win at Sale Sharks, Nick Evans orchestrating a 24–20 victory at Edgeley Park that pushed Dean Richards' side firmly into the play-off reckoning with five rounds of the regular season remaining.
Charlie Hodgson kept Sale competitive throughout with four penalties and a conversion, but the Sharks could never quite shake off a Harlequins side that were sharper at the breakdown and more clinical in their finishing.
Hodgson opened the scoring with two early penalties to give Sale a 6–0 lead, but Evans slotted a penalty of his own and then produced a sublime pass to release Ugo Monye for a try in the left corner on 29 minutes. Evans converted from the touchline to give Quins a 10–9 advantage at the interval after Hodgson had added a third penalty just before half-time.
Harlequins came out for the second half with renewed intensity. Scrum-half Danny Care darted over from short range early in the second period, Evans again converting, and the visitors began to take control. Magnus Lund's try for Sale on 52 minutes — converted by Hodgson — briefly threatened a home comeback, but Harlequins settled the result when centre Jordan Turner-Hall crashed over with quarter of an hour remaining, Evans completing his excellent day's work with a third conversion.
Hodgson's fourth penalty gave Sale a consolation score in the closing stages, but Harlequins held on for a crucial victory that lifts them to fifth in the table. Richards was bullish afterwards: "We wanted to come here and impose ourselves and we did that. Nick Evans was exceptional today — he controlled the game from first to last."
Sale director of rugby Philippe Saint-André cut a frustrated figure: "We gave them too many opportunities in the second half and they punished us. We need to be much better if we are going to finish in the top four."