Premiership: Northampton 26-11 Sale

Tom Collins scored Northampton's third try on their way to a bonus-point win

Northampton staged an excellent second-half fightback as they beat Sale and went up to fourth in the Premiership.

Bryn Evans went over in the corner after a Sale overlap before penalties from Danny Cipriani and Tom Arscott.

Northampton hit back late in the first half as Mikey Haywood crossed from close range after Evans was sin-binned.

Two quick tries after the break from Ken Pisi and Tom Collins put the Saints ahead before JJ Hanrahan danced through the Sharks defence late on.

The defeat was just a second in 10 games for Sale, who stay eighth in the Premiership.

Northampton looked like being the architects of their own downfall for the first 30 minutes as they gave away a number of penalties and failed to take advantage of chances near the Sale tryline as the visitors led 11-0.

But Haywood's try gave the home side hope after Sale try-scorer Evans was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on. Saints scored 21 points in his absence.

Sale lost Arscott with what looked like a nasty knee injury before Hanrahan's impressive score in the final moments secured the bonus point.

Northampton: Foden; K Pisi, G Pisi, Mallinder, Collins; Myler, Dickson; E Waller, Haywood, Hill; Craig, Day, Gibson, Wood, Harrison

Replacements: Marshall, A Waller, Denman, Matfield, Fisher, Fotuali'i, Hanrahan, Tuala

Sale Sharks: Arscott; Addison, James, Tuitupou, Edwards; Cipriani, Stringer; Lewis-Roberts, Briggs, Mujati, Evans, Mills, Neild, Ioane, Easter

Replacements: Taylor, Harrison, Parker, Lund, Seymour, Mitchell, Ford, Jennings

Ref: JP Doyle (RFU)

For the latest rugby union news follow @bbcrugbyunion on Twitter.