Sale have taken a commanding lead into half-time after a disjointed Bath side produced a tame first-half performance at Edgeley Park.

With three Guinness Premiership matches in an eight-day period, Steve Meehan fielded a makeshift back-line – and saw his side start slowly against their play-off rivals.

It was not until the closing stages of the half that Bath began to display any cohesion.

They fell behind as early as the fourth minute, Charlie Hodgson on target with a 45-metre penalty after a Bath tackler had been penalised for not rolling away.

The home side scored the first try of the evening on 19 minutes through Mark Cueto.

Sale secured possession on their own scrum, but were then turned over – only to steal possession back and attack through Mathew Tait.

He passed to Cueto, who was tackled by Nick Abendanon but managed to get up to score.

Hodgson missed the conversion but Bath's ball retention was slack and they presented several opportunities to the Sharks.

It was from a Bath mistake – a lost line-out – that Sale scored their second try.

Having nicked set-piece ball, Sale kicked down-field and Michael Stephenson failed to deal with the high ball.

Hodgson kicked to the right wing – and although Bath hands beat Cueto to the ball, Sale's pressure forced the turnover and Hodgson was soon going over under the posts.

His conversion made it 15-0, before Abendanon's break was illegally halted and Ryan Davis – back in the side after 17 months out with injury – kicked the penalty.

Sale Sharks: N Macleod; M Cueto, M Tait, L Thomas, O Ripol; C Hodgson, R Wigglesworth; A Sheridan, S Bruno, E Roberts, C Jones, B Cockbain, J White, N Briggs, J-M Fernandez Lobbe (capt). Reps: L Faure, S Turner, S Cox, D Tait, W Cliff, R Keil, S Kuadey.

Scorers: Tries – Cueto, Hodgson. Con – Hodgson. Pen – Hodgson.

Bath: N Abendanon; M Stephenson, T Cheeseman, S Hape, A Higgins; R Davis, S Bemand; D Barnes, R Hawkins, D Bell, J Harrison, S Hooper, J Fa'amatuainu, M Lipman (capt), D Browne (A Beattie 34). Reps: M Lilley, A Jarvis, P Short, M Baxter, E Fuimaono, J Cuthbert.

Scorers: Pen – Davis.

Ref: S Davey.