Sunday 5 October 2014 18:34, UK
Sale director of rugby Steve Diamond admitted to a feeling of relief after his side beat Wasps 25-14 to record just their second win of the Aviva Premiership season.
The Sharks went into the clash with Wasps at the AJ Bell Stadium having won one of their opening four games, the lone success coming against promoted London Welsh.
And Diamond conceded that they were under pressure to produce a positive result and get their campaign back on track.
He said: "There was a relief in the changing room afterwards, we needed the win.
“What we've tried to do is not stress the team and put them under too much pressure, but there's a time when the talking has to stop."
Sharks secured the victory thanks to tries from Tom Arscott, Chris Cusiter and Tom Brady against a Wasps' side that were without rested England players James Haskell and Joe Launchbury.
"They thought it was right that they rested and rotated players, and I would like to have a squad big enough to do that, but they chose the squad to come up and thought they could beat us with that," he added.
"In this competition with the mid-table sides, I think you've got to be putting your best side out every week because everybody can knock each other over, as has been proven already this year."
Wasps director of rugby Dai Young defended his decision to leave out Haskell and Launchbury, saying the duo were carrying knocks.
Young said: "We don't rotate because I don't think that works really. We're in two very tough tournaments this season whereas last season we were in the Amlin (Challenge Cup) where we could rest the players.
"It wasn't a case of resting players for rests sake, the guys that we rested needed that rest, otherwise they were going to break down.
"Launchers has got a bit of a neck strain. If it was a cup final he could have played but we have a responsibility to look after him and make sure he's right.
"It's the same with Hask. We've all seen his performances to date, he's been totally battered and hasn't trained all week."
Young also refuted suggestions that the playing and coaching staff could have been affected by the club's rumoured move to Coventry from High Wycombe.
He added: "It would be weak of me to suggest that. We're talking about Wasps now and I don't think there's ever been a week since I've been here where there hasn't been some off-field discussion.
"The players have certainly learned to take things in their stride and we've got our job to do. I don't think we did ourselves justice against Sale, but our job is to train as hard as possible and go out and perform."
