The visitors roared into a 21-0 lead inside 25 minutes as the league’s top point-scorer, Ben Jones, added the extras to tries from David Jones, Lucas Titherington and the prolific Nick Royle.

TJs hit back as Hugo Watson touched down before the break, Tom White landing the conversion to make it 21-7 at the interval.

The fly-half did the same after Tom Chapman went over five minutes into the second period to reduce the deficit to seven points, but Caldy, who have now lost just once in 18 matches, put the game to bed with a dazzling three-try salvo from Elliott Gourlay, Ben Jones and Titherington inside 13 minutes.

With Jones slotting two more conversions the Wirral-based side led 40-14 just after the hour mark, and despite White kicking another goal after Mike O’Sullivan’s try, new leaders were established for the first time since Rosslyn Park took over at the summit at the end of November.

Park still maintain the trump hand sitting just a point behind Caldy with a game in hand, but Sale are only two off top following another sensational late win, on this occasion Nev Edwards’ score seven minutes from time concluding an amazing 35-33 victory at Bishop’s Stortford.

The Dogs began in scintillating fashion as James Robins knocked over conversions from two Jack Moorhouse tries and one from Jack Metcalf, making it 21-0 inside 15 minutes.

But Stortford fought back superbly, Josh Stannard with a brace of his own and Chris Smith also touching down as Alfie Orchard kicked a couple to cut the gap to 21-19.

Sale, though, landed a sucker-punch as Josh Brown went over on the stroke of half-time, Robins adding the extras to make it 28-19.

The home side replied, though, and with Orchard converting scores from James Ayrton and Jacob Wrafter, they led 33-28 at the end of the third quarter.

But while they didn’t leave it as late as last week, Sale again secured a dramatic win as Edwards crossed and Robins maintained his perfect record to make it six straight wins for the Manchester men.

Fifth-placed Cinderford picked up a bonus-point 30-19 victory at Taunton Titans.

It was the hosts who took the lead as Jack Walsh converted Harry Tarling’s eighth-minute try, only for the Foresters to roar back with scores from Nathan Taylor and Mikey Wilcox, Reece Boughton converting the former to give his side a 12-7 half-time lead.

Aron Struminski levelled matters early in the second period, but Cindy nudged their way back in front via Taylor’s second.

Titans then hit the front after Walsh converted a Dan Swain try, making it 19-17, but Cinderford skipper Harry Hone dotted down and Boughton added the extras and two conversions to keep his side right in the thick of the title race.

Cambridge produced a sensational late salvo to also keep themselves knocking on the door with a 41-3 success against Chinnor.

The league’s top try-scorer Ben Brownlie made it 20 for the season as the Blood & Sand grabbed an 11th-minute lead, albeit James Bourton cut the gap with a penalty before the half-hour.

That was as good as it got for Chinnor, though, and a Kwaku Asiedu try, converted by Harry Johnston, extended the lead to 12-3 at the break.

Brownlie’s second midway through the third quarter made it 17-3, but Cambridge ripped clear in the last 13 minutes, tries from Joe Tarrant (two), Matt Dawson and Jake McCloud rounding out a convincing win with the former kicking two more conversions.

Birmingham Moseley boosted their survival hopes with a dramatic 30-27 victory at Leeds Tykes.

Mose roared into a 17-0 lead inside the first quarter as Dan Lewis kicked a penalty and then converted tries from Seb Nagle-Taylor and Sam Pointon, before Tykes got on the board through a Tom Williams five-pointer.

Another Lewis penalty made it 20-5 at the break, but Leeds got the initial breakthrough in the second period as Charlie Venables landed a kick.

However, when Lewis converted an Ollie Allsopp interception try Birmingham led 27-8, Tykes cutting the gap quickly with Venables adding the extras to his own score.

Another Lewis penalty made it 30-15 to the Midlanders, but Leeds created a rip-roaring finish as Will Smith and Xavier Valentine went over, Venables’ conversion making it a three-point game with seven minutes on the clock.

However, Birmingham held out and made it four straight wins on the road.

A last-minute score from Plymouth Albion snatched a 24-22 home win against Blackheath as they eased their relegation fears.

Nick Foster’s early try gave Club a third-minute lead, but the home side rallied and Tom Putt converted tries from James Salter and Henry Clement as well as landing a penalty to push his side into a 17-5 half-time lead.

Blackheath, though, went in front in the space of three minutes thanks to two George Spencer tries, both converted by Jake Hennessey, and when the latter landed a penalty with four minutes to go, Club looked set fair leading 22-17.

However, Albion were not to be denied, and Harry Wilkinson levelled matters before Putt’s conversion sent the Brickfields’ crowd into raptures.

Rams, meanwhile, won a 10-try thriller 36-32 at home to Darlington Mowden Park.