MATCH REPORT: London Wasps 18 Bath Rugby 24
Two second-half tries from Rob Webber saw Bath Rugby bag a place in the Amlin Cup final with a hard-fought win at London Wasps in the last four on Sunday.
The visitors found themselves 13-10 down at the break at Adams Park but hooker Webber's heroics helped Bath score 14 points without reply to turn the game around.
Ashley Johnson's touchdown gave Wasps hope late on but Bath held firm to qualify for their first cup final since they triumphed in this competition in 2008 and they will now face Northampton Saints at Cardiff Arms Park on Friday, May 23.
Bath prop Anthony Perenise and Wasps winger Willi Helu traded tries in the opening 40 minutes, while the visitors also shaded the fly-half dual on the day as George Ford outscored opposite number Andy Goode by nine points to eight.
Wasps started brightly and former England ten Goode got them under way in dream fashion with a penalty after just two minutes.
Bath gradually managed to get some control over the contest and Ford fired them level when given his first shot at the posts ten minutes later.
Goode responded almost immediately when the visitors infringed again but Wasps' hopes suffered a big setback when captain Chris Bell was forced off injured inside 20 minutes.
Ford then sent another penalty attempt of his own wide of the posts but his next kick set-up the game's opening try after 25 minutes.
The Bath fly-half booted a penalty from inside his own half deep into Wasps territory, Matt Garvey gathered Webber's throw and Perenise claimed the try as the pack powered their way over the whitewash. Ford added the extras.
Bath looked destined to lead at the break but they were stung with the last action of the first half. Wasps returned a Ford clearance at pace and Elliott Daly darted up the right before cutting inside and offloading to Helu, who charged over. Goode converted to put the hosts in control.
And Wasps thought they had a second try as soon as the second half got under way when lock Kearnan Myall muscled his way over, but the effort was ruled out for a forward pass by prop Matt Mullan.
The Londoners were then the masters of their own downfall as they gifted Bath the lead. At a lineout on their own 5m line, hooker Carlo Festuccia's throw was too long and Webber pounced on the loose ball to dot down. Ford converted.
Webber then got his second try just before the hour mark when Ford sent two well-positioned penalties to the corner. The second lineout was claimed by skipper Stuart Hooper and Webber emerged with the ball from the back of the driving maul when it powered over the tryline. Ford's kick was again on target.
Flanker Johnson gave Wasps a lifeline 15 minutes from time when he claimed a score in similar fashion. Goode booted a penalty to the corner, with this time the home pack's power proving too much, although the fly-half was unable to add the extras.
Centre Jonathan Joseph then thought he had eased Bath's nerves when he crossed from close range but a knock-on by Anthony Watson early in the build-up saw it chalked off.
Bath then had to survive a frantic final five minutes as centre Kyle Eastmond was sent to the sin-bin for a tip tackle on Wasps replacement Charlie Hayter, but the visitors saw it out with sublime control to clinch the victory and a shot at European silverware next month.LONDON WASPS: Masi, Helu, Daly, Bell (c) (Hayter 17), Varndell, Goode, Simpson, Mullan (Vea 59), Festuccia (Lindsay 59), Swainston (McIntyre 68), Launchbury, Myall (Palmer 59), Johnson, Haskell, Hughes (Jones 68). Replacements not used: Davies, Carlisle.Tries: Helu, Johnson Conversion: Goode Penalties: Goode 2BATH RUGBY: Abendanon, Rokoduguni (Watson 67), Joseph, Eastmond, Banahan (Henson 72), Ford, Stringer (Young 64), Catt (James 49), Webber (Batty 64), Perenise (Wilson 49), Hooper (c), Day, Garvey (Fa'osiliva 72), Mercer (Fearns 49), Houston.Tries: Perenise, Webber 2 Conversions: Ford 3 Penalty: FordReferee: Romain PoiteAttendance: 6,010
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