Leeds returned to the top of the Premiership last night, but only after Braam van Straaten's 84th-minute penalty scraped a thrilling draw. Having led 26-12, the Tykes were almost derailed when 20 points were scored in the final eight minutes after Diego Albanese's sin-binning ignited a faltering Sale challenge.

Mark Cueto and Steve Hanley crossed before Charlie Hodgson's drop goal gave the visitors the lead going into injury-time. But Van Straaten, kicker extraordinaire, drew Leeds level from wide on the left in the dying seconds.

Leeds sought to pin Sale in the corners from the start and their tactics paid immediate dividends, allowing the pack to take full advantage of field position and power them ahead. After Hodgson's early penalty, a pinpoint kick to the corner won Leeds field position and the pressure on Sale was unrelenting until Cameron Mather burrowed over with 13 minutes gone.

Two more penalties from Hodgson, and one for Van Straaten, followed before the Leeds forwards cranked into action again. A perfect throw to the back of the lineout from Mark Regan allowed Tom Palmer to set the ball up and the Sale pack were outmuscled as Leeds drove through phase after phase before Chris Murphy dropped over.

A penalty for either side did little to hint at a Sale comeback but the situation changed once Albanese was sin-binned with 10 minutes remaining for killing the ball as Sale enjoyed their longest spell of pressure in the game. Cueto promptly scored one try and set up Hanley's second but even after Hodgson's drop goal there was still more drama to come.

Leeds Tykes: Scarbrough; Harder, Davies, Van Straaten, Albanese; Ross, Hegarty; Shelley, Regan, Kerr, Murphy, Palmer, Mather, Ponton, Fea'unati.

Sale Sharks: Robinson; Cueto, Baxendell, Harris, Hanley; Hodgson, Walshe; Thorpe, Marais, Stewart, Lines, Jones, Sanderson, Pinkerton, Anglesea.

Referee: P Adams (WRU).