Leeds Carnegie were left to rue their luck after losing 34-20 to Sale Sharks in front of the their biggest crowd in the club's history.
11,116 spectators were at Headingley Carnegie to witness an entertaining encounter in which Leeds scored three tries were ultimately denied even a losing bonus point.
Leeds made a fantastic start against their illustrious neighbours with some tremendous work in the loose provide good ball to the Leeds back line. They should have taken the lead after four minutes when Leeds were awarded a penalty 25 metres out near the touchline. However, Hinton's penalty attempt drifted wide.
However, it was not long before the home side made their great start count. James Brooks spotted the on rushing Sale defence and put in a clever grubber kick which was collected by Tommy McGee, who then had the audacity to side step the full back and score between the posts for his first try for the club. Hinton added the conversion to make it 7-0.
It got even better after 13 minutes when Hinton successfully added a penalty after more pressure on the Sale line.
Charlie Hodgson replied for the visitors after 24 minutes after Leeds were penalised for not rolling away. It has been Sale's first real attack at the Leeds line and Hodgson's penalty made it 10-3.
The Sharks were beginning to circle with menace as the half wore on and they struck a decisive blow with seven minutes remaining in the half. Oriol Ripol burst down the South Stand touchline before was tackled five metres short. However, Vili Ma'asi was penalised for offside in front of the posts and Hodgson kicked his second penalty.
Sale then took the lead for the first time, two minutes before the break, taking advantage of an overlap outwide for Lee Thomas to cross in the corner. Hodgson added the conversion brilliantly to make the score at half time 13-10 to Sale.
Leeds once again made a bright start to the half and had several waves of pressure on the Sharks line in the opening minutes. However, errors cost them possession and allowed the Sharks to clear their lines. They could have made the most of that let off but for a missed penalty by Thomas, who had taken over the kicking from Hodgson after 49 minutes.
Thomas missed a further penalty attempt; after 57 minutes but Sale were beginning to turn the screw on the home side. However, the centre, who was a late replacement for All Black star Luke McAlister, soon made amends as he juggled a pass from Ripol to score from the drop out from his earlier miss. He added the conversion for good measure to make it 20-10 after 59 minutes.
Despite that set back Leeds came firing back and got the next try of the game when Tom Biggs showed real determination to keep going under intense pressure near the Sale line before bursting through to score.
Hinton was unable to add the conversion but Leeds were back in the game at 20-15 however Sale replied with two tries in the next ten minutes to secure the win and a bonus point. Firstly, Chris Mayor was quickest to react to a cross field kick to score in the corner ahead of Biggs and Hinton then Oriol Ripol created the extra man out wide to score his side's fourth try. Thomas converted the first and full back Julien Laharrague the second to make it 34-15 to the visitors.
Leeds never gave in though and got their reward with three minutes remaining. Biggs showed sensational pace to fly down the wing and score his second try. Hinton missed the conversion but Carnegie knew a converted try would bring them two bonus points.
However, with little time left on the clock it meant a frustrating end to a great competition in front of a fantastic crowd. However, the performance will have boosted Leeds going into the New Year and consistent performances of this nature will surely lead to happier times in 2008.

Leeds Carnegie: Hinton, Satala, Vickerman, Blackett, Biggs, Brooks, Bedford, MacDonald, Ma'asi, McGee, Hooper, Lund, Dunbar, Oakley, Balding.
Replacements: Cusack for MacDonald (69), Parkes for Ma'asi (69), Hopcroft for McGee (59), Clark for Oakley (15), Edwards for Bedford (67), Tuilagi for Blackett (59), Hepworth for Brooks (67)
Sale Sharks: Laharrague, Cueto, Mayor, Thomas, Ripol, Hodgson, Wigglesworth, Faure, Lawson, Turner, Jones, Cockbain, White, Lund, Chabal.
Replacements: Bruno for Lawson (50), Sheridan for Faure (50), Lewis-Roberts for Turner (59), Cox for Cockbain (75), Martens for Wigglesworth (73), Keil for Hodgson (75), JM Fernandez-Lobbe for Chabal (59)
Referee: Ashley Rowden
Attendance: 11,116