Newcastle 19-19 Sale: Murray makes his Newcastle debut in freezing thriller

SCOTLAND prop Euan Murray enjoyed a thrilling debut for his new club as Newcastle Falcons were held to a 19-19 draw at Kingston Park by Sale Sharks

• Sisa Koyamaibole of Sale Sharks feels the force of Newcastle debutant Euan Murray at Kingston Park last night Picture: Getty

Sale were in control of this Aviva Premiership match when they led 19-9 halfway through the second half - but Jimmy Gopperth's fourth penalty and a late try from Tim Swinson plus Gopperth's conversion gave Newcastle a vital draw.

Sale gave Newcastle a lesson in finishing and a controversial second half try from number eight Sisa Koyamaibole and 14 points from the boot of Charlie Hodgson looked to have done the job.

But Newcastle hit back in the closing ten minutes and the draw leaves them second from bottom, five points ahead of Leeds - who travel to Bath tomorrow.

Sale were very lucky not to lose Gaskell when he threw several punches at James Hudson in a hotly-contested ruckus at a ruck in front of the West Stand, but the visitors made a crucial breakthrough in the 55th minute when Koyamaibole drove over even if it looked as if hooker Marc Jones had knocked on in the build-up. Hodgson landed the conversion and then added a penalty for Sale to race into a ten point lead at 19-9 with 20 minutes left.

Newcastle kicked a penalty to the corner and eventually drove Swinson over for the try - and Gopperth's equalising conversion levelled things up.