Toby Flood's second-half try sent Newcastle on their way to a potentially priceless victory in a stormy encounter which saw Sale hooker Rob Webber make biting allegations.
Falcons fly-half Flood has seen it all during a glorious career which has harvested three Premiership titles with Leicester Tigers and 60 England caps but right now his team’s goal is simple: survival.
This hard-earned success marked a third straight win for Dean Richards’ men and, while they remain bottom of the table, belief is growing that they can beat the drop.
Toby Flood of Newcastle Falcons celebrates with his team after scoring his team's opening try
Sinoti Sinoti of Newcastle Falcons evades Denny Solomona of Sale Sharks during the game
Newcastle Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards looks on during the match against Sale
The match was overshadowed, though, by a clash midway through the first half in which Webber appeared to have alleged that Newcastle had sunk his teeth into the Sale man’s right arm.
Sharks boss Steve Diamond was left fuming as Newcastle came from 10-0 down to claim victory in front of a crowd of 27,284 at St James’ Park.
Sir John Hall and Dean Richards chewed the fat at pitchside before kick-off, perhaps reminiscing about the good old days and the importance of a match to Newcastle’s current desperate plight.
Twenty-one years ago, the Falcons were in the process of revolutionising English rugby thanks to Hall’s chequebook as they became the first side to lift the domestic title within a year of being promoted.
Denny Solomona of Sale Sharks celebrates scoring the opening try of the game for his team
Newcastle have achieved nothing like it since, although their fourth-placed finish last term marked their best season since that famous 1997-98 championship-wining campaign.
Twelve months ago, a crowd of over 30,000 saw them defeat Northampton at St James’ Park in the inaugural ‘The Big One’ twelve months ago.
Much water has passed under the Tyne Bridge since then, though, and a campaign blighted by inconsistency and injuries has left them in serious danger of the drop.
They were not helped by Worcester, their nearest rivals in the relegation scrap, winning at Bristol earlier in the day to leave Newcastle seven points adrift of safety at kick-off.
Nevertheless, the return of Fijian winger Vereniki Goneva, England flanker Mark Wilson and Scotland
