Sale Sharks secured a play-off spot in the Premiership as they cruised past a poor Bristol Bears 36-20 at Ashton Gate on Friday.
Tries from Ben Curry, Jean-Luc du Preez and Gus Warr saw them to the four points, with George Ford contributing 21 points that included a drop-goal.
Siva Naulago and Gabriel Ibitoye crossed for Bristol, but they were well beaten on the night as they suffered a 10th defeat of the Premiership campaign.
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Sale need one more win – they visit Gloucester next weekend, then host Newcastle on May 6 – to book a home tie in the knockout phase.
Bristol, who saw prop Ellis Genge yellow-carded following a high tackle on Sale flanker and his England team-mate Tom Curry, are now effectively out of the play-off race.
Scrum-half Harry Randall made his 100th Bristol appearance, while Joe Jenkins replaced injured centre Semi Radradra and there were recalls for lock Joe Batley and number eight Magnus Bradbury.
England flanker Tom Curry recovered from a hamstring injury to take his place in the Sale back-row alongside brother Ben and number eight Jono Ross, with prop Simon McIntyre taking over from Bevan Rodd.
Ford kicked Sale into a fourth-minute lead through a penalty from just inside Bristol’s half, but the home side quickly drew level following a spell of pressure when AJ MacGinty landed a short-range penalty.
Bristol offered an attacking threat, although clear-cut chances were few and far between during the opening quarter, and a second 48-metre penalty from Ford made it 6-3 as Sale’s scrum showed signs of getting on top.
Ford completed a penalty hat-trick after he was tackled late by Bristol flanker Fitz Harding, yet Sale indiscipline allowed Williams a long-range chance that he accepted as the goalkicking fest continued.
A Ford drop-goal made it 12-6 before Sharks’ England centre Manu Tuilagi broke clear and freed wing Tom O’Flaherty, but Bristol number eight Bradbury’s superb cover-tackle prevented a certain try.
Sale, though, only had to wait another two minutes to breach Bristol’s defence when a missed tackle by prop Max Lahiff gave Ben Curry a free run, with his try being converted by Ford.
It was a soft score for Bristol to concede, but they ended the half deep in Sale territory and clawed their way back through a well-worked try for Naulago that was created by MacGinty’s inch-perfect kick.
MacGinty converted from the touchline, and Bristol had narrowed their deficit to six points at the interval.
🦈 Sale need one more try for the bonus. #GallagherPrem #BRIvSALpic.twitter.com/tywUOT3bMg
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) April 14, 2023
Sale began the second period in concerted fashion, and Ross’ fine approach work opened up enough space for Du Preez to crash over, with Ford adding the extras.
Another Ford penalty gave Sale more breathing space, and their cause was helped when referee Luke Pearce sent to Genge to the sin-bin after he caught Curry high with his left shoulder.
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Sale were in no mood to shut up shop, and Warr added a third try when he sprinted clear of a stretched Bristol defence 11 minutes from time, with an immaculate Ford again converting.
Bath fight back to stun Gloucester
Elsewhere, Bath fought back from 24-14 down to defeat Gloucester 33-24 at Kingsholm in a result that moves them three points behind their bitter rivals.
Gloucester looked in firm control until a yellow card for their skipper Lewis Ludlow gave Bath a foothold in the match, and they grew in confidence from then to run out deserved winners.
Miles Reid scored two tries for Bath, while Joe Cokanasiga and Sam Underhill were also on the try-scoring sheet.
There was also a penalty try award, with Ben Spencer adding three conversions.
Stephen Varney, Seb Atkinson and Santiago Carreras scored Gloucester’s tries, with Carreras adding a penalty and three conversions.
Gloucester took a sixth-minute lead with a well-created try. Chris Harris and Carreras combined neatly to create space for Louis Rees-Zammit to send Varney over.
Carreras converted and added a straightforward penalty before Bath had their first chance for points.
They turned down a kickable penalty in favour of a driving line-out, and when hooker Tom Dunn burst away from it, he looked a likely scorer but managed to lose possession in the process of grounding.
Bath were made to pay for their profligacy when some quick handling provided Carreras with an overlap and an easy run-in.
The visitors needed a response, and they got one with an award of a penalty try. Max Ojomoh ran elusively before being hauled into touch by a high tackle from Ludlow, and after viewing TMO replays, the Gloucester captain was yellow-carded and the try given.
Bath took advantage of Ludlow’s absence to score a second try when Reid finished off a succession of forward drives, with Spencer converting to leave his side trailing 17-14 at the interval.
Ludlow returned for the restart and in time to see his side extend the lead when an excellent three-quarter move culminated in Atkinson forcing his way over.
Bath had another opportunity when Tom de Glanville intercepted a pass from Harris to set sail for the line, but the full-back was chased down by the pace of Rees-Zammit.
However, Bath took their next chance when their opponents failed to deal with a speculative kick from Spencer. The ball bounced unfavourably for Ollie Thorley and Carreras, with Cokanasiga on hand to pick up the pieces.
🍒🛁 Bath lead at Kingsholm! #GallagherPrem #GLOvBAT pic.twitter.com/OUhAW8L6K6
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) April 14, 2023
Three minutes later, Bath took the lead for the first time when Reid crashed over for his second, with Spencer’s conversion giving them a two-point advantage going into the final quarter.
The tide had now firmly turned Bath’s way, and it came as no surprise when they scored a fifth try as a burst from Ollie Lawrence put the home defence on the back foot, which allowed Underhill to pick up and score.
Carreras missed two late penalties to ensure Gloucester came away with nothing and leave Bath with only their second away win in the Premiership this year.