London Irish maintained their unbeaten home record at the Madejski Stadium,
seeing off a depleted Wasps by just one point.
The Exiles, who have won all seven of their games at their new home, scored
just one try and kicked three penalties to clinch victory by the skin of their
teeth.
The result was a major blow for Nigel Melville's title-chasing Wasps.
The Loftus Road outfit were trailing league leaders Leicester by six points
heading into the match, but the defeat now means they drop further off the
pace.
The game was far from an exciting encounter between the two one-time London
rivals.
The deadlock was broken - after a penalty each - when London Irish captain
Ofisa Tonu'u scored a 20th-minute try.
The Western Samoan scrum-half sneaked left of a ruck on Wasps' goalline
following a consistent display of pressure from the home side to touch down.
But Wasps' Trevor Leota, replacing injured England international Phil Greening
in the number two shirt, then matched the Exiles' effort with a 37th-minute
try.
Scottish winger Kenny Logan converted after an earlier missed penalty attempt
to take Wasps into the lead for the first time.
But then the tables turned again after the break.
Wasps were sorely missing the likes of Greening, Simon Shaw and Peter
Scrivener - while Barry Everett was as consistent as ever with the boot.
It was in fact the fly-half's two crucial penalties to Logan's one in an
uneventful second half that secured Irish their victory.
Teams:
London Irish: Cunningham, Sackey, Matson,
Wright, Bishop,Everitt, Tonu'u, Worsley, Alexopoulous, Hardwick, Fahrensohn,
Delaney, Bates, Allen, Sheasby.
Replacements: Hatley for Worsley (59),
Williams for Delaney (49), Halvey for Bates (68).
Not Used: Campbell, Ashforth, Ezulike, Flavin.
Sin Bin: Bates (48).
Tries: Tonu'u.
Pens: Everitt 3.
Wasps: Lewsey, Roiser, Waters, Denney,
Logan, King, Wood,Molloy, Leota, Green, Reed, Beardshaw, Dallaglio, Volley,
Worsley.
Replacements: Sampson for Roiser (43), Birkett for Reed (77).
Not Used: Bijon, Scrase, Lock, Macer, Le Chevalier.
Sin Bin: Worsley (52).
Att: 5,290
Ref: John Barnard (RFU).
Tries: Leota.
Cons: Logan.
Pens: Logan 2.
Zurich man of the match: Ofisa Tonu'u