SALE FC got off to a flyer and went on to beat Birmingham Moseley 37-30 at Heywood Road in National League One on Saturday.

A Kieron Wilkinson converted try in the opening minute set Sale on their way and that was quickly followed by a penalty on four minutes, which Wilkinson slotted home from distance giving the home side a 10-0 lead.

The visitors narrowed the gap with a penalty a minute later.

With Sale’s Spanish international fly-half, Emiliano Calle Rivas, on his home debut orchestrating play, the hosts were soon on the scoresheet again when, following a well-controlled line-out, the ball was quickly moved through the backs to winger Anthony Bingham who scored a try.

With Sale controlling the game, Birmingham conceded a series of penalties, culminating in their captain Sam Brown receiving a yellow card as the home side tried to take a quick penalty.

Matt Bradley scored Sale’s third try moments later, following another well-drilled catch-and-drive by the pack.

After 20 minutes, the hosts had opened up a 17-point lead, however a counter attack by Birmingham drew a penalty on the Sale 22 for which Bradley received a yellow card.

Birmingham were able to capitalise on the opportunity, hooker Ryan Roach scoring and Williams converting.

Another penalty, kicked by Williams, reduced the deficit to make it 20-13 at the interval.

Within a minute of the restart, Sale conceded a penalty which Birmingham’s Williams duly despatched.

Birmingham took the lead on 55 minutes when winger Alex Hearle latched on to a kick deep in Sale territory, and outpaced the covering defenders to score, Williams adding the extra points.

Sale were quick to regain the advantage from a scrum on the opposition five-metre line, Tom Ailes picking up from the base and driving over the line despite close attention from the opposition defence.

In the final quarter, Sale extended the lead with a try from Adam Aigbokhae, converted by Wilkinson.

The visitors responded with a try on 70 minutes from winger Roach, Williams quickly drop-kicking the extra points to hurry the match along.

In the final 10 minutes both teams dug deep into their energy reserves, Sale regularly finding Johnny Leota to take on the opposition defence.

Pressure eventually told as a penalty awarded to Sale gave Calle Rivas the opportunity to find touch deep in the opponents' half.

A textbook catch-and-drive had Sale putting the Birmingham defence under severe pressure before a quick release along the backs arrived in the safe hands of Anthony Bingham on the wing with one man to beat and 15 metres to run – and he did just that.

Wilkinson narrowly missed the conversion from a tight angle leaving Sale to run down the last few minutes and secure a vital five points.