Bristol Bears became the first team to win a league game at the Salford Community Stadium since October 2022 as they powered past Sale Sharks on Friday night.

The Bears were never behind as tries from Harry Randall, Gabriel Ibitoye and Max Malins fired them to a second away win of the Gallagher Premiership season.

Jonny Hill and Agustin Creevy crossed for the hosts, but AJ MacGinty’s penalty seven minutes from time sealed an important win for Pat Lam’s men.

The visitors gained deserved reward as Randall burrowed over by the posts after they had broken through the middle of Sale’s vaunted defence.

And it got even better when Gus Warr’s kick was charged down by Josh Caulfield and the ball bounced up perfectly for Ibitoye to win an aerial battle with Joe Carpenter and then run in unopposed.

But the hosts gained a vital foothold in the match when Randall’s kick was also charged down by second row Hill, who followed it up with fine handling to score.

Sale thought that they had a second try before the break as Carpenter finished off a move in the corner, only for it to be ruled out for a foot in touch by the television match official, with credit going to Kieran Marmion for the heroic try-saving tackle.

Malins showed his finishing credentials for his 49th Premiership try just after the interval as the full back touched down in the corner following a brilliant handling from Steven Luatua and Dan Thomas to open up the space for him.

Sale lost Telusa Veainu and Ben Bamber to the sin-bin in quick succession as they finished the match with 13, and when former Shark AJ MacGinty kicked a late penalty, it stretched the lead to eight points and the game was up.

Sale Sharks: Carpenter; Roebuck, S. James, Ma’asi-White, Reed; R du Preez, Warr; Harrison, Cowan-Dickie, Schonert, Wiese, Hill, van Rhyn, B Curry (c), JL du Preez.  

Replacements: Creevy, Onasanya, Harper, Bamber, Dugdale, Thomas, Curtis, Veainu. 

Bristol Bears: Malins; Heward, van Rensburg, Williams, Ibitoye; MacGinty, Randall; Woolmore, Oghre, Sinckler, Caulfield, Batley, Luatua (c), Thomas, Bradbury.

Replacements: Capon, Grahamslaw, Kloska, Owen, Heenan, Marmion, Ravouvou, Lane.

Bristol Bears: Tries: Randall 7, Ibitoye 19, Malins 43. Cons: MacGinty 7, 19. Pens: MacGinty 73

Sale Sharks: Tries: Hill 30, Creevy 67. Cons: R Du Preez 30, 67. Pens: Yellow: Veainu 70, Bamber 73