Wasps stung by Goode's boot
Saracens secure their first ever victory at Adams Park as full-back Alex Goode kicked seven penalties in a 26-15 triumph.
Last Updated: 27/02/11 4:55pm
Saracens recorded their first ever victory at Adams Park as Alex Goode kicked them to a 26-15 triumph against a Wasps side that had three players sin-binned.
The hosts led 12-11 at half time - despite Sarries' Andy Saull grabbing the only try of the game after just four minutes - only to fall apart after the break.
Goode kicked five of his seven penalties in the second half as indiscipline took the game away from Wasps.
Having had Matty Veale sent to the sin-bin before the interval, Wasps saw both England prop Tom Payne and flanker John Hart shown yellow cards in the space of nine second-half minutes.
Early try
Sarries had lost all of their previous seven visits to the home of their capital rivals but got off to the best possible start with an early try.
Centre Brad Barritt managed to get under Owen Farrell's high kick before offloading to the supporting Saull, who charged over in the left-hand corner.
Just a minute later and Wasps were down to 14 men for the first time in the afternoon - lock Veale being punished by referee Greg Garner for his retaliation after a high tackle by Sarries' Hayden Smith on winger David Lemi.
While Veale took the blame, United States second-rower Smith was somewhat fortunate not to join him in the bin for the original offence that sparked a mass punch-up.
Goode, who had missed the conversion following Saull's try, quickly stretched the Saracens' lead to 11-0 after Wasps were twice penalised at the breakdown.
However, the home team responded well and were allowed to claw their way ahead thanks to the kicking of Dave Walder.
The fly-half landed four penalties - two awarded at rucks in the space of four minutes - as Saracens found themselves falling foul of referee Garner.
Fortunate
Walder's kicking meant they fortunately found themselves ahead. They almost gifted Saracens a second try when number eight Ernst Joubert was left in acres of space to collect another up-and-under from Farrell, Lemi eventually rescuing the situation with a fine cover tackle on the South African.
But Saracens edged back in front three minutes into the second half with Goode's third penalty and although Walder responded in kind a minute later, another Goode effort put his side in pole position again after 48 minutes.
Goode's fifth penalty gave them something of a cushion and when Payne was adjudged to have taken out Sarries' replacement lock Mouritz Botha in the air at a lineout, the visitors seized control.
Wasps were caught offside to give away three more points before finding themselves down to 13 when Hart saw yellow, the flanker having been deemed to kick the ball out of the hands of visiting full-back Chris Wyles.
The decision looked harsh, and to rub salt in the wounds Goode took his personal haul to 21 points with a seventh penalty that clinched the victory.
