WASPS conceded two tries in the final two minutes to suffer an agonising 40-36 defeat at home to Northampton Saints in a frantic encounter.
The Coventry-based club led by eight points heading into the final couple of minutes thanks to tries from Jack Willis, Paolo Odogwu, Gabriel Oghre and Charlie Atkinson.
However, Saints struck twice at the death to secure a bonus point win after Wasps had Jacob Umaga sent off for dangerous play, when leading by 12 points, from which a penalty try was awarded.
Despite the defeat at the Coventry Building Society Arena, Wasps came away with two bonus points and sit 10th in the Gallagher Premiership table.
Lee Blackett’s side scored the game’s first try on 10 minutes when Nizaam Carr broke the line before passing to Willis who crossed unopposed with Umaga adding the extras after Northampton kicked an early penalty.
And despite Saints adding three more points to their tally, Wasps struck again on 16 minutes when Odogwu raced over in the corner from Atkinson’s long pass.
Umaga kicked two penalties to extend Wasps’ lead before Saints crossed for their first try on the stroke of half time when Alex Coles grounded the ball under pressure from Carr.
Wales international Dan Biggar increased his individual points tally to nine with an early penalty in the second period before Oghre was deemed to have touched down by the TMO on 54 minutes after an excellent burst from Odogwu.
And Wasps pulled clear of Northampton on 56 minutes when Atkinson kicked ahead to Josh Bassett who in-turn kicked the ball towards the line which popped up kindly for the former to dot down.
However, Saints reduced the 18-point deficit straight from the restart as Ollie Sleightholme walked in to score after Wasps failed to gather the ball from the restart.
And the game looked to have turned in Northampton’s favour on 66 minutes when a collision on the wing saw Northampton awarded a penalty try and Umaga sent off as he competed with Courtnall Skosan for a high ball.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Wasps moved eight points clear courtesy of Will Haydon-Wood’s penalty only for Northampton to score their bonus point try on 78 minutes as Coles touched down for his second of the game.
The conversion took Saints to within one point of Wasps and Skosan secured the most dramatic of victories when he raced in to score with the clock in the red after the visitors worked the ball out to the right.
Wasps are next in action away at Exeter Chiefs on Saturday, October 15 with kick-off at 3pm at Sandy Park.
