Christian Wade draws level with Chris Ashton as Newcastle grab first win of season

Christian Wade equalled Chris Ashton’s top-flight try record to inspire Newcastle to their first win of the season in the Gallagher Prem.

Wade made it 101 tries when he sprinted over in the 49th minute as Red Bulls recovered from a 3-0 interval deficit to blow Sale away 17-3 in a gale at Kingston Park.

It drew the 35-year-old winger, capped only once by England, level with former Sale wing Ashton, who was inside the stadium.

Newcastle captain George McGuigan grabbed the other home try with Josh Hodge adding seven points with the boot for Red Bulls.

There was little to cheer for the Sharks, who only had a George Ford penalty to show for their visit to the North East.

However, there was encouraging news for England head coach Steve Borthwick with the Curry twins coming through their first start together in 16 months.

Ben played an hour in his first league start of the programme, having sat out almost all of last term with hamstring trouble, while Tom made just his fourth appearance for club and country since February, making it through to 10 minutes from time.

Billed as Derby Weekend by the Gallagher Prem, a grand total of 150 miles separated the division’s two northern powers.

And while it was hardly the most local of affairs, every inch of ground at Kingston Park was attritionally contested in difficult conditions with a storm blowing down the pitch.

It was a far cry from the fireworks the two teams had produced back in May when the host club fought back from 35-10 down to snatch a thriller at the death 45-42.

The only points of the first period came when Ford registered Sale’s first penalty of the season on 20 minutes from in front of the sticks.

And the Sharks thought they had the first try six minutes before the interval from a pack pick-and-go but after endless TV replays no score was awarded.

Wade’s only meaningful touch in the first half had come deep in his own territory but it took only nine minutes of the second period to show what he could do when he had sight of the opposition line.

Red Bulls moved the ball slickly to the right where the winger streaked clear for his sixth try of the campaign to send Kingston Park into raptures. Hodge stroked over a difficult conversion.

Every time Wade, whose first top-flight try came way back in 2011 for Wasps, saw the ball the decibel levels increased and while Sale’s defence halted his dash just before the hour Hodge’s penalty from in front of the posts gave Red Bulls a 10-3 advantage.

Raw power rather than raw pace extended the home lead in the 63rd minute when McGuigan finished off a pushover from a line-out. Hodge’s superbly judged conversion save his team vital breathing space.

Sale threw everything at their hosts as they chased their second away win of the season.

But the Manchester club were denied by both passionate resistance and let down by errors and penalty concessions.

Winger Tom Roebuck was inches away from what would have been spectacular take and score six minutes from time.