Tiger's maul weakened Wasps
By Carla Hilton
Last Updated: 01/01/70 1:00am
Leicester have ended Wasps' 100% record at Adams Park this season.
Guinness Premiership, Wasps v Leicester, Adams Park, Sunday November 26, KO 3pm
Leicester ended Wasps' 100% record at Adams Park this season and moved up to third spot in the Guinness Premiership table with Sunday's win.
Wasps were missing a number of key players which was a reflection of their performance as they were beat 13-19 on home soil.
Both sides got off to a good start with early tries from Alex King and Shane Jennings respectively.
But the real influence in the game was the boot of fly-half Ian Humphreys who's sterling performance gave Leicester their fourth consecutive win.
Worse news was to follow for Wasps, who lost centre Ayoola Erinle to a suspected broken leg.
Leicester opened the scoring through Humphreys' penalty after 12 minutes only for Erinle's replacement Jeremy Staunton to put Wasps back on level terms four minutes later after Leicester were penalised for obstruction at their own lineout.
James Haskell then offloaded to Staunton to put the home side in front after fending off a hefty challenge in midfield.
The Irishman sped past Edd Thrower on his outside but was hauled down a metre short, only for Wasps captain Alex King to finish under the posts with Staunton adding the extras to make it 10-3.
The Tigers brought it back to level six minutes later after shouts for knock-on were denied as Jennings picked up the loose ball dropped by Daryl Gibson on the try line.
Referee David Rose disagreed with the protests and that ended the scoring for the first half, although on 29 minutes Tigers flanker Luke Abraham was sinbinned for stamping at the base of a ruck.
Thrower had a score ruled out for a forward pass by Haskell in the early stages of the second half which could have put Wasps in front.
Instead, it was the Tigers who once again took the lead courtesy of Humphreys' penalty in front of the sticks.
The penalty was a result of a dangerously high tackle on Dan Hipkiss by Wasps' Peter Bracken as he saw yellow on 61 minutes.
Humphreys continued his tremendous kicking form with five from five and only nine minutes remaining after the home side were was penalised for not engaging the scrum properly.
A drop-goal from King in the dying minutes of the game provided some consolation for Wasps late on, grabbing them a losing bonus point as the full time whistle blew.