Former England fly-half Toby Flood's try two minutes into added time saw Newcastle snatch victory against Sale.

Sale thought they had done enough when Cobus Wiese scored a try to put them 13-10 ahead with eight minutes left.

Sean Robinson had earlier helped Newcastle take a 10-0 lead at half-time with a try from close range.

Before Flood's match-winning moment, it was largely a forgettable game with both sides struggling to get into a rhythm or maintain discipline.

Long, monotonous kicking exchanges punctuated both halves and Sale punished themselves by conceding countless penalties and also losing number eight Dan du Preez to the sin bin moments before Robinson scored the first try.

AJ MacGinty kicked Sharks back into contention early in the second half with two penalties before Wiese had the power to go over after Sam James' burst down the right wing to put them ahead.

That looked like being the decisive score but Falcons first kicked deep to the corner after winning a penalty from the restart.

They then kept their composure even with a couple of penalty advantages inside the 22 to find space behind Sale's defence from Young's kick over the top that allowed Flood to sneak in for the win.

Newcastle: Penny; Radwan, Burrell, Flood, Stevenson; Connon, Young (capt); Davison, McGuigan, Mulipola, Peterson, Fuser, Robinson, Collett, Graham.

Replacements: Blamire, Brocklebank, Tampin, Barry, Basham, Stuart, Hodgson, Lucock.

Sale: James; Solomona, James, Janse van Rensburg, Hammersley; MacGinty, De Klerk; Morozov, van der Merwe, Oosthuizen, Wiese, Phillips, J-L du Preez, Curry (capt), D du Preez.

Replacements: Langdon, Rodd, Cooper-Woolley, Postlethwaite, Dugdale, Cliff, R du Preez, Yarde.

Sin bin: D du Preez (34 mins).

Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU).