Alex King booted a dramatic last-gasp drop-goal to give Wasps a share of the Premiership points after Bath had staged a storming Recreation Ground fight back.

Fly-half King kept his nerve with the final kick of a rollercoaster game that looked all over after 60 minutes when Wasps held a comfortable 24-9 advantage.

But Bath then scored 18 unanswered points, including tries for centre Mike Tindall and flanker Dan Lyle, to pinch the lead and send a capacity home crowd wild.

Lyle's 80-second touchdown appeared to kill off Wasps, but King had other ideas as he hauled Wasps level amid scenes of high drama and intense pressure.

Wasps Ruby director Warren Gatland will be furious that his team let slip such a promising position, but Bath counterpart Michael Foley will be thrilled that the West country outfit displayed such character that was sorely lacking for much of last season.

Bath's Australian fly-half Chris Malone kicked two penalties for an early 6-0 lead, but Wasps then took charge, despite losing their dazed hooker Trevor Leota after he tried to tackle Bath's rampaging French prop Alessio Galasso.

King struck a short-range penalty, and after Lyle was sin-binned by Welsh referee Nigel Whitehouse for killing the ball, Bath found themselves on the backfoot.

Wasps wing Kenny Logan wasted a glorious chance when he dropped the ball in an unmarked position, but a flash of inspiration by Wasps captain Lawrence Dallaglio lifted his team.

Dallaglio's inch-perfect cross kick caught the Bath defence unawares and full-back Josh Lewsey caught the ball and touched down.

King converted and Lewsey was at it again four minutes into stoppage time, collecting his second score after finishing off an 80m breakout by wing Shane Roiser.

King's conversion meant that Bath trailed 17-6 at the break.

And despite Malone completing his penalty hat-trick, things went from bad to worse.

Referee Whitehouse awarded Wasps a penalty try after Phil Greening, who started the game at open side flanker but went to his familiar hooking berth when Leota departed, was impeded off the ball by Bath prop David Barnes and King slotted the simple conversion.

There appeared to be no way back for Bath but their England centre Tindall gave them a glimmer of hope when he grabbed his side's opening try of the league campaign after more than four hours' premiership action.

Malone continued to chip away at Wasps, eroding their composure in the process, with two further penalties, and then wing Tom Voyce took centre-stage.

In a last desperate attack, Bath full-back Mike Catt sent Voyce sprinting away from his own 22, and after he beat several Wasps players, the home side had enough men out wide for Lyle to squeeze over in the corner.

Even though Malone could not land the difficult touchline conversion, Bath looked to have pulled off the most unlikely of victories but then it was King's turn in the spotlight and honours finished even.

Teams:

Bath: Catt, Danielli, Maggs, Tindall, Voyce, Malone, Cooper, Barnes, Humphries, Galasso, Beattie, Grewcock, G. Thomas, Lyle, N. Thomas.

Not Used: Blake, Mears, Lloyd, Thirlby, Crockett, Scaysbrook, Mallett.

Tries: Tindall, Lyle.

Cons: Malone.

Pens: Malone 5.

Wasps: Lewsey, Roiser, Abbott, Denney, Logan, A. King, Howley, Dowd, Leota, Molloy, Shaw, Beardshaw, Worsley, Greening, Dallaglio.

Not Used: Biljon, Wigran, Sampson, Gotting, Volley, Birkett, W. Green.

Tries: Lewsey 2, Penalty.

Cons: A. King 3.

Pens: A. King.

Drop Goals: A. King.

Att: 8,500

Ref: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales).