LUKE MEHSON scored four tries as Wasps secured an impressive 40-21 win against Saracens in the Premiership Rugby Cup.
Mehson touched down on four separate occasions for Wasps, having failed to score in his previous five appearances, with Nizaam Carr and Billy Harding also crossing on Tuesday night at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
And Mehson scored the game’s opening try on 17 minutes after he claimed Ryan Mills’ clever kick into space before dotting down with Rob Miller converting.
Saracens responded with their first try on 28 minutes as Rotimi Segun collected a crossfield kick out wide before touching down unopposed with Manu Vunipola’s conversion bringing the scores level.
Wasps regained the lead on 37 minutes when Carr charged down Dominic Morris’s clearing kick to score next to the posts with Miller adding his second conversion to send the hosts into the break with a seven-point lead.
And that advantage was extended on 52 minutes when Mehson ran in his second try down the right wing after Wasps worked the ball superbly out of the scrum with Miller nailing the touchline conversion.
The visitors scored a crucial try to keep them in the contest on 55 minutes when Sam Bryan went underneath the posts from Josh Hallett’s pass.
However, Wasps restored their two-try lead on 58 minutes when a powerful rolling maul went close to the Sarries line before a searching pass out wide from Miller found Mehson who raced onto the ball and stretched out over the line to complete his hat-trick with the former again converting.
The capital club hit back again on 67 minutes when Samson Adejimi went over from close range as Vunipola’s third conversion reduced the deficit back to seven points.
Lee Blackett’s side finally sealed the win on 73 minutes when the unstoppable Mehson finished superbly in the corner, under pressure from two defenders, to score his fourth try of the night will Miller unable to add the extras.
And the game was wrapped up on 78 minutes when debutant Billy Harding appeared to be at the bottom of a pile of bodies following another destructive rolling maul with Miller adding the extras to complete a resounding victory.
However, Wasps have been eliminated from the competition after they finished third in their pool behind both Leicester Tigers and Newcastle Falcons, having taken 11 points from their four group matches.
Wasps are next in action away at Gloucester on Saturday, April 2 with kick-off at 3pm at Kingsholm.
