Leicester Tigers fought back from ten points down at half-time to register a bonus point, 44-34, win over Sale Sharks at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
Four second-half tries, including doubles for both Ollie Hassell-Collins and Emeka Ilione and the accurate boot of Handrè Pollard - who finished with 19 points - helped Michael Cheika's men make it three straight wins in the Gallagher Premiership to remain in second spot on the ladder with only two rounds remaining.
The Leicester faithful were silenced after just sixty seconds when Sale hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie score the visitor's opener at the back of a driving maul but found their voice again four minutes later when Adam Radwan levelled the scores in the 5th minute.
With former Tiger George Ford missing his first attempt at goal, Pollard's conversion meant the home team led by two points, 7-5, before the South African extended it to a 10-5 lead in the 13th minute with a long-range penalty goal.
The scores were level again when Sale centre Rekeiti Maasi-White swerved his way through the Leicester defence to score his side's second and Ford didn't miss with his second attempt to see the Sharks lead by two, 10-12, after 15 minutes.
Pollard landed a second penalty goal in the 20th minute to take Tigers back into the lead, 13-12, which lasted only minutes after Arron Reed crossed for the visitors and Ford converted to take their lead out to six points, 13-19.
Another penalty for Pollard approaching the half-hour mark meant Leicester trailed by just three, 16-19, where it looked like it would remain at the break but for Sale forward Robert du Preez to score his side's fourth with the clock in the red. Ford added the conversion to see his side lead by ten, 16-26, at half time.
With the crowd behind them, Tigers came out firing in the second forty and took just nine minutes to get over the chalk when Hassell-Collins got his first after Pollard floated a perfectly placed kick-pass to his wing and the speedster did the rest, turning Ford inside out on his way to the line. Pollard landed the sideline conversion much to the delight of the Tigers fans and cut the difference to three, 23-26.
Hassell-Collins soon after, this time doing it all on his own after swooping on a loose pass and showing his trademark turn of pace to find his way through. Pollard was on target and Leicester were back in the lead, by four points, 30-26.
Ford landed a penalty goal to get the Sharks within one, 30-29, on the hour mark, before the Leicester bench came on to help secure the win.
Ilione had the first of his brace in the 71st minute, which Pollard converted, to make it 37-29, before the Sharks hit back with their first try of the second half in the 73rd minute and second of the match for Robert du Preez. Ford's conversion attempt was wayward, meaning Leicester had a three-point lead to defend with only five minutes on the clock.
However, defence wasn't on the mind of the home team who instead went into attack mode and after fighting their way upfield, helped by the ill-discipline of Sale, Tigers opted for a kick to the corner after Jonny Hill was penalised and shown a yellow card in the 79th minute. From the lineout, the pack went to work and Ilione crashed over his double, which Pollard converted to make it a ten-point, 44-34, win.
Commentary
TIGERS VICTORIOUS AT HOME!
A party atmosphere at Mattioli Woods Welford Road sees Tigers dig out a bonus point, comeback win under the Friday Night Lights.
Two tries each from OHC and Ilione add to Radwan's score and 19 points from the boot of Pollard.
Final score: Leicester Tigers 44 - 34 Sale Sharks
CONVERSION | POLLARD
An easy kick and the final whistle blows.
TRY | EMEKA ILIONE
A second score for the flanker and that's game over.
The maul flattens Sharks and Tigers celebrate wildly.
YELLOW CARD | SALE SHARKS
Tigers win the ball back and with it a penalty.
The hosts opt for the corner and from the line out, Jonny Hill infringes to hand Tigers another penalty and earns himself a yellow card.
77
CLASS IS PERMANENT
Silky skills from Ben Youngs.
With all the pressure on, Youngs is the coolest man in the building, dummying a pass and placing a lovely grubber through for Sal Kata to make metres.
A moment later he chips through to put the pressure on Sale with a line out five metres out.
TRY | SALE SHARKS
Sharks again fly back into it, finding space wide for Du Preez to score in the corner.
CONVERSION | POLLARD
An easy kick and Pollard stays at 100%.
TRY | EMEKA ILIONE
Deserved!
The first maul is collapsed illegally but Sharks have no chance against the second, the Tigers bulldozing over and Ilione popping up at the tail to celebrate.
70
IMMENSE FROM ILIONE
Sale look to break in midfield but Emeka Ilione wins a stupendous turnover with several Sharks attempting to clear him out, allowing Pollard to clear long to the Sale 22.
Into the last ten minutes here.
68
GREAT DEFENCE FROM STEWARD
A trademark Ford spiral bomb causes havoc and Tigers can't gather.
Sale attempt to play quickly but Roebuck is tackled into touch well by Steward and Tigers clear to the 22.
SUBSTITUTIONS | TIGERS
Ben Youngs and James Cronin are on for JvP and Nicky Smith.
SUBSTITUTIONS | TIGERS
Dan Cole and Emeka Ilione are on for Joe Heyes and Tommy Reffell.
PENALTY | SALE SHARKS
Ford sinks a big penalty from downtown to narrow the scores.
CONVERSION | POLLARD
A simple kick.
TRY | OLLIE HASSELL-COLLINS
A sensational score and the crowd are booming!
The ball flung wide, OHC picks up and dances inside one, two, three defenders before going full throttle and sprinting under the sticks.
Tigers re-take the lead.
SUBSTITUTION | TIGERS
Dan Kelly is on for Joseph Woodward.
The crowd are rapturous here as Tigers are on the Sharks line!
52
TOMMY TURNOVER!
Whew this is getting heated.
The atmosphere is superlative at Tigers HQ with the crowd in booming voice to repel the Sharks who come pouring forward.
Right on the line, the fans are off their seats as Tommy Reffell somehow gets over the ball to win the penalty.
CONVERSION | POLLARD
A huge kick from the far left touchline.
TRY | OLLIE HASSELL-COLLINS
WHAT A SCORE!
From well inside the Tigers half the boys play it out. Lead by Freddie Steward's huge carry, Pollard floats across a beautiful crossfield kick to Ollie Hassell-Collins.
OHC catches at pace and shakes off the tackle of Du Preez, sprinting clear. Ford is back to cover but the wing turns him inside and out before galloping home and diving over in the corner.
SUBSTITUTION | SALE SHARKS
Sale win the ball back in contact before Tigers return the favour with a booming strike that forces a knock on.
As we pause for a scrum there's a change at #9 as Raffi Quirke replaces Gus Warr.
43
HUGE SCRUM PENALTY
Chaos just five metres from the Tigers line as Leicester first infringe before Roebuck knocks on from the subsequent scrum.
Now with the put-in, Leicester smash the visitors and win a vital penalty to clear up to halfway.
BACK UNDERWAY FOR THE SECOND PERIOD
Pollard kicks us off and Sale return instantly, Tigers starting the second half with a halfway line line-out.
HALF TIME HERE
A breathless first half sees the visitors 10 points ahead after a four tries, whilst Tigers have had one converted try alongside three penalties from Handré Pollard.
Half time score: Leicester Tigers 16 - 26 Sale Sharks
CONVERSION | SALE SHARKS
From in front of the posts, Ford furthers the lead.
TRY | SALE SHARKS
It all starts at halfway as Ben Curry bulldozes through for a well-earned turnover at the ruck, allowing Ford to kick long to touch.
From the line-out, the forwards pile into contact before eventually Ford is found out the back, the #10's soft hands finding an onrushing Rob du Preez who sprints goes through to score.
38
ELECTRIC ATMOSPHERE
From non-stop scores early on, we've had a relative period of calm here.
It's all relative of course as we have continued to see huge shots coming in, shimmying feet from Sol Kata and massive boots long from Pollard.
The latter of which comes to the fore here as the Springbok hits a sublime grubber through to give Sale a line out just a couple of metres out from their line.
However, the visitors keep their composure and are able to clear to just outside their 22, Tigers ball.
The crowd is ROARING here!
33
THRILLING MATCH HERE
Breathless action here at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
Both teams are piling into contact, the highlights being a huge double shot from Chessum and Reffell on big lock Ben Bamber before Tigers force Sale into touch after Ford flings a huge miss pass wide.
PENALTY | HANDRÉ POLLARD
Tigers are crashing into contact, all starting with Freddie Steward who absolutely runs over Gus Warr before Liebenberg smashes through the two Sale props.
A phase or so later and Sharks infringe at the ruck, allowing Pollard to slot his third penalty of the match.
CONVERSION | SALE SHARKS
Ford slots another conversion from in front of the sticks.
TRY | SALE SHARKS
PENALTY | HANDRÉ POLLARD
Never in doubt!
Pollard smashes his second penalty of the game through the posts from some distance.
19
Pollard looking dangerous
The Tigers fly half has been threatening throughout the contest, playing right to the line and he bursts through here to create a scramble in the Sale defence.
He's brought down but as the play is brought back to the right, Jonny Hill is in an offside position and Polly has another shot at goal, just inside the Sharks half.
CONVERSION | SALE SHARKS
Ford slots a simple conversion and the visitors take the lead.
TRY | SALE SHARKS
PENALTY | HANDRÉ POLLARD
Tigers get some revenge at scrumtime in what is proving to be a brutal battleground thus far.
The pack win a penalty and Pollard slots with aplomb.
8
SENSATIONAL FROM OHC
Hassell-Collins does superbly to strip the ball as Sale attack wide, the wing bursting into space.
Closed down around halfway he chips through and although it's covered by Ford, OHC wraps him up and he, along with supporting Tigers force a knock on.
CONVERSION | Handré Pollard
Pollard smashes the extras from out wide and Tigers take the lead.
TRY | ADAM RADWAN
TRY | SALE SHARKS
With the sun in his eyes, Tom Roebuck knocks on from kick off and we have our opening contest at the scrum.
Sale win the penalty and kick to touch before getting the rolling maul rumbling and recently-named Lion Luke Cowan-Dickie drops down to score.
KICK OFF
Former Tiger George Ford kicks us off here at home, here we go!
-5
VISITORS TEAM NEWS
Sale, meanwhile, welcome back Jonny Hill to the starting XV, the England man amongst a strong Sale squad.
Other than that, no changes to the Sharks side who defeated Northampton Saints two weeks ago.
-10
TEAMS IN
Both sides have named strong squads for this evening, with Olly Cracknell returning to the base of the scrum at No. 8 whilst James Cronin and Matt Rogerson are fit to be named amongst the replacements.
-20
READY FOR ACTION!
After a week's break, Gallagher Premiership action is BACK at Mattioli Woods Welford Road!
A huge crunch clash today sees Leicester Tigers welcome Sale Sharks as second battles third in The Run In to the play offs.
Strap yourself in, it's set to be a seriously physical contest tonight.