They had been reduced to 14 men after 23 minutes when Julian White was given a red card following an incident with Andrew Sheridan.

But, cheered on by a vociferous home crowd, they dug deep to claim a thrilling victory through tries from Scott Hamilton (2), Alesana Tuilagi, Dan Hipkiss and Sam Vesty.

Sale scored three tries of their own, two from Mark Cueto and one from Neil Briggs in a pulsating match that ebbed and flowed.

It proved a fitting last game in front of the old Caterpillar Stand, which opened its doors for the final time.

It also marked Ireland international Geordan Murphy’s first game as Tigers captain. He led the side after Martin Corry and Aaron Mauger were ruled out by injury. Dan Hipkiss returned at centre after recovering from a knee injury and was joined in midfield by Sam Vesty. Marcos Ayerza and White returned to the front row and Ben Pienaar took over from Corry at the base of the scrum.

Sale Sharks centre Luke McAlister failed a fitness test on a hamstring injury. Mathew Tait moved to outside centre with Oriol Ripol coming in on the left wing.

Roared on by vociferous Welford Road, Tigers made early inroads into the Sale defence. Flood spotted a gap in their defence and darted through before being hauled down just 5m short. However, the visitors won turnover ball and cleared the danger.

It was a blistering start by Tigers and Alesana Tuilagi was next to threaten, crashing through Mark Cueto’s tackle on the left touchline before being forced into touch 10m out. Tom Croft stole the lineout ball to lay the platform for the first try after five minutes. The ball was moved right where Tuilagi forced his way past Ripol to score to the right of the posts. Flood’s conversion put Tigers 7-0 ahead.

Sale put their first points on the board after eight minutes when Charlie Hodgson kicked a penalty from the left after Tigers were blown for offside.

An almost similar offence by Sale moments later was punished by Flood as he restored Tigers’ seven-point lead with a 40m penalty.

Back Sale came and they drew themselves level after 11 minutes when Cueto latched onto Hodgson’s reverse pass to burst through on an angled run and score under the posts. Hodgson’s conversion tied the scores at 10-10.

He missed the chance to put Sale ahead for the first time with a penalty from just inside the Tigers half that dropped short of the posts.

Instead, a brilliant break from Vesty on half-way opened up the Sale defence for Tigers to reclaim their lead. He was well supported by Ayoola Erinle, on as a temporary replacement for Flood, who was tackled just short of the line. But the ball was recycled and sent left for Hamilton to score his seventh try of the season. Vesty completed the seven-point score to put Tigers 17-10 ahead.

A quick throw by Ripol set Sale on the attack again. He received the ball back from Nick MacLeod and it needed a late intervention by Harry Ellis to prevent a try on the left.

Tigers went down to 14-men after 23 minutes when Julian White was given a red card by referee Wayne Barnes following an incident with Sale loosehead Andrew Sheridan.

It was a decision that fired up both the Tigers team and fans. The supporters were on their feet when captain Murphy claimed a high ball on the edge of his 22 before making a sensational 60m run. He put a kick in behind the Sale defence that MacLeod failed to deal with and Hamilton grabbed before being dragged down just short.

Sale reduced the Tigers lead through their second try with two minutes of the half remaining. Mathew Tait’s break opened up Tigers on their 22 and the ball was spun right for Cueto to score in the corner. Referee Barnes went to the television match official before awarding the try. Hodgson was off target with the conversion.

Flood then missed a testing penalty from the right with the last kick of the half as Tigers went in 17-15 ahead at half time.

Sale edged into the lead for the first time in the game four minutes after the restart when Ellis was adjudged to have tackled off the ball and Hodgson kicked the resulting penalty from half-way

Sheridan was then penalised for not rolling away from the tackle moments later and Flood punished him with the three points to put Tigers 20-18 ahead.

It was frenethe visitors scored their third try of the game nine minutes into the half when Briggs rolled away from Tuilagi’s attempted interception in midfield and ran in from 30m. Hodgson added the conversion to make it 25-20 to Sale.

It was an thrilling contest and Tigers scored a brilliant third try to draw themselves level six minutes later.

Croft and Ellis made inroads before Hipkiss and Tuilagi exchanged passes on the left wing. The England centre took the return one-handed before running in from 20m. Flood was wide to the right with his conversion to leave the scores level at 25-25.

The home side went ahead, and claimed a bonus point in the process, thanks to a brilliant piece of skill by Flood. The pack had driven Sale back into their 22 before the England international slid a grubber kick behind the visitors that sat up for Hamilton to collect on the charge and score under the posts. Flood’s conversion put Tigers 32-25 ahead.

Hodgson reduced the lead to 32-28 with a penalty from in front of the posts for Tigers coming in at the side of a ruck.

The tension around Welford Road was now tangible.

But the nerves were eased when Vesty used an overlap on his outside to go himself on a diagonal run and score on the left. Flood pulled the conversion wide to leave Tigers 37-28 ahead.

Hodgson brought Sale back to within a score with a penalty as the clocked ticked down into the final minuet to increase the tension. But a knock-on by Ripol inside his own 22 proved the last action of the game as Tigers claimed a precious win.