Wasps 32-30 Northampton: Mullan wins it for Wasps

Match stats: Wasps 32-30 Northampton

Wasps  tries: Daly (17), Wade (44), Simpson (52), Mullan (80)
Conversions: Gopperth (18,45,80)
Penalties: Gopperth (28,32) 

Northampton tries: Foden (12), Waller (23), North (38), Tuala (59), Harrison (68)
Conversions: Myler (68)
Penalties: Myler (10) 

Match report

Wasps stole a 32-30 win over Northampton thanks to Matt Mullan's overtime try to cement their position atop the Aviva Premiership.

The hosts extended their winning league run at the Ricoh Arena to 17 matches, but only just.

Saints blasted five tries in a fine performance, but Wasps' ability to conjure scores from precious little platform eventually proved decisive.

Ben Foden, Alex Waller, George North, Ahsee Tuala and Teimana Harrison all crossed for the Saints, only for the visitors to blow victory at the death.

Elliot Daly, Christian Wade and Joe Simpson stole individual scores for league leaders Wasps, before Mullan capped a driven lineout after Harrison had been sin-binned at the death.

Jimmy Gopperth's conversion secured the win with the game's final kick to move Wasps one step closer to securing a home league semi-final.

Saints will kick themselves for failing to grind home, especially with the usually reliable Stephen Myler missing 11 points from the boot.

North's facile run-in finish handed Northampton a half-time lead they so nearly let slip.

The visitors ran in three tries to Wasps' one before the break, only for Myler's off-kilter kicking to keep the hosts in the frame.

Myler missed four from five attempts at goal but still carried an 18-13 lead into the turnaround.

Wasps spent the half struggling for any kind of platform, though still managing to lurk with attacking intent.

Daly conjured Wasps' sole score of the half from one such lightning raid, the England flyer creating and taking the space all by himself.

Too often though Dai Young's men wasted possession and were made to pay.

First Gopperth's ambitious miss-pass was picked off by Foden, who coasted home.

Then Waller bounded in on the left after Wasps had lost the ball on halfway when battling to keep it in play at almost any cost.

The hosts' total rugby so nearly came off in one eye-catching move, however.

Kurtley Beale's grubber let Wade catch North on the turn, and the Wasps winger's touchline flick so nearly found Daly in midfield.

Nic Groom mopped up but Gopperth was left to post a penalty that, just past the half hour, had dragged Wasps level at 13-13.

But just when the league leaders were dreaming of stealing the advantage, up popped North with that score to hand Saints the slender lead at the turnaround.

Wasps drew first blood after the break though, as Wade magicked another score from static play.

Le Roux's bouncing pass stunted Wasps' momentum, only for Wade to boot it right back with a fine chipped score.

The arch finisher collected calmly, assessed the options and dinked the ball over North's head before regaining for the try.

Gopperth's conversion pushed Wasps into the lead for the first time, at 20-18.

Simpson then nipped home for Wasps' third, after replacement Nathan Hughes had gone close.

Saints refused to relent though, sweeping home for their bonus point score just shy of the hour.

Full-back Tuala walked in after Louis Picamoles and Groom linked from a five-metre scrum, with North providing the scoring pass.

Myler's continued kicking woes left Wasps still leading 25-23, but only until replacement flanker Harrison crashed home for the visitors.

At the fifth attempt Myler finally converted a Saints try, to steal a five-point cushion heading into the last 10 minutes.

Wasps thought they had levelled again when Le Roux ghosted home, only for Television Match Official (TMO) David Grashoff to chalk off the score.

Joe Launchbury was caught blocking Harrison off the ball in the build-up, leaving Le Roux denied a score on TV review for the second week running.

Daly was then incensed to see a threatening break cut short owing to a highly questionable decision on a forward pass.

Wasps punted three straight penalties to the corner in laying siege to Saints' line at the death, desperate to steal the win.

Jamie Gibson was sin-binned from the third penalty and finally Wasps drove home, with prop Mullan claiming the crucial score.

Gopperth then blasted the conversion to steal the win and preserve Wasps' home league record.

Match reaction

Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young on Christian Wade being picked for the Lions: "Warren Gatland's got an extensive knowledge of all players, so I'd be surprised if he doesn't know his strengths and I'd be very surprised if he wasn't looking at him seriously for the Lions.

"I wouldn't swap Christian for anybody, people talk about his defensive frailties but that was a couple of years ago.

"He's put that to bed, shown he can defend and is making far better decisions on when to come in and when to stay out.

"And when he gets the ball something's going to happen.

"He stresses defences, he's far more powerful than people give him credit (for), and we all know about his gas.

"He's had a good couple of months and he can't do any more towards his goal of getting back onto the international stage.

"It would be a big old plane if every coach got their wish for their players to tour. But all Christian can do is keep on doing what he's doing.

"There's quality wingers in England but for me Wadey's right up there.

"The more we get the ball in his hands the more chance we have of winning.

"I'm delighted he's a Wasps player and I'd be really pleased if he went on a tour this summer."

Young on Saracens being favourites: "We've got another couple of gears we can go to. "But Saracens are still the team to beat.

"We've just got to keep winning and get ourselves into the competition's latter stages."

Northampton Director of Rugby Jim Mallinder: "You've got to try to control the game in the last 10 minutes, and we never really managed that.

"We've just got to keep pushing for wins, and hopefully we can secure at least European qualification."