As the ten-minute mark of the match approached, Bath had opened up the Wasps backline with a clever line of attack, following which a wonderfully-judged flat pass from Kyle Eastmond put Semesa Rokoduguni in for the first try of the match. Ford converted from the right touchline. 7-0.

Wasps responded with a three-pointer from fly-half Jimmy Gopperth shortly after, as Bath were penalised inside their 22. 7-3.

Minutes later, a misread pass from Bath out on the right wing hit the deck, then found its way to Wasps centre Elliot Daly, who sped away to score. Fly-hal Gopperth converted. 7-10.

Bath didn't help themselves when they were then penalised in line with their posts, making life easy for the prolific boot of Gopperth to extend his side's lead to six points. 7-13.

In fact, the first half was written by Gopperth from thereon in, with the New Zealander adding a further penalty and then converting his own try after number eight Nathan Hughes had been held up on the Bath line to secure Wasps' put-in at the scrum.

Half time: Bath Rugby 7-23 Wasps

Bath were under the cosh again for most of the third quarter. It was only some remarkable defending and guts from them that stopped a sure-fire try from the outset, with Bath repelling wave after wave of Wasps attackers on their try line and then winning a penalty.

The home pack did come alive near the hour, excelling at successive scrums to earn the team a penalty in front of the Wasps posts. Ford struck it well, and with it came the first points of the second half for either side. 10-23.

Such promises of a comeback were invariably negated by Gopperth, who in the second half made the first of his punishing kicks in the 64th minute after Bath were pinged at the ruck. 10-26.

Daly then added a drop goal to his afternoon's tally, taking Wasps' lead to 10-29 with ten minutes left. To add insult to injury, Semesa Rokoduguni - one of Bath's best performers on the day - was then yellow-carded in his 22.

At this point, Wasps chose to go for the lineout, with the all-important try bonus point in mind, only to provide one moment of comic relief. The visitors lost their own lineout, the ball falling into the hands of a surprised Henry Thomas, the tighthead then performing an admirable box-kick.

Six minutes from time, Wasps made light work of the Bath defence, running in for a final try through replacement back Alapati Leiua, with that man again, Jimmy Gopperth, converting to end a long day at the office for Bath.

Full time: Bath Rugby 10-36 Wasps

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