Laboured win for Wasps

Wasps have kept up the pressure on Leinster at the top of Heineken Cup Pool Two after scoring a 19-11 victory against Edinburgh at Adams Park.

The result means that the Guinness Premiership champions stand three points behind the Irish side ahead of their highly-anticipated Twickenham meeting in the new year.

Indeed, the result was just about all Wasps could take from the match, their performance fully reflecting their current position - fourth from bottom - in the domestic league.

They had more possession and territory - Phil Vickery notably making ground - but lacked confidence with ball in hand, with their opponents making better use of what ball they had.

Dave Walder's try was cancelled out by Hugo Southwell's for Edinburgh, with both scores coming in the first half.

The less said about the second period the better, Wasps' victory margin ultimately down to their opponents' concession of penalties.

Defence held sway until the 12th minute when, with the home side building on 11 phases of play, Walder received a pass from half-back partner Eoin Reddan and, spotting a gap in Edinburgh's defence, sprinted through to score.

He then converted for 7-0, with Wasps continuing to pile on pressure until the midway point of the opening period - but without adding points.

Potential

After a step inside from Phil Godman indicated Edinburgh's own potential in coming forward, they redressed the balance in fine style on 26 minutes when the ball was fed along the line to Ben Cairns, the outside centre progressing the move before Hugo Southwell touched down in the right-hand corner.

Godman missed the conversion attempt, but Edinburgh could have gone ahead three minutes later when Mike Blair spotted Simon Webster's call and booted the ball crossfield right to left - Paul Sackey just beating his opposing winger to the ball.

A five-metre scrum resulted, with the move eventually coming to nought when Godman's chip through to the left-hand corner rolled well beyond the chasing Nick De Luca.

With Mark Van Gisbergen off the pitch after taking a blow to the head, the home side then almost extended their advantage when they sliced open Edinburgh - Walder feeding Josh Lewsey.

Playing at inside centre, Lewsey charged forward but he placed too much weight on his chip - neither Sackey nor Dominic Waldouck being able to ground the ball.

A long-standing problem faced by Wasps this season has been their indiscipline and it again reared its head when they conceded a penalty for coming in from the side on the stroke of half time.

Godman found the target to put Edinburgh 8-7 ahead at the break. Danny Cipriani shrugged off his 'flu sufficiently to come on at half time in place of Waldouck and Wasps immediately set about trying to restore their advantage.

That happened with a Walder penalty in the 43rd minute. Wasps promptly looked to extend it but 12 phases of rugby ended with the ball being knocked on.

A penalty scrum could not be exploited but Walder gave Wasps a five-point advantage after Jim Hamilton conceded yet another penalty in the 50th minute.

Indiscipline

The game was still very much there for Edinburgh's taking as the hour came and went, although they fell eight points behind when more indiscipline brought Walder another penalty in the 64th minute.

David Blair pulled it back with a prompt penalty but the fact Edinbugh were within a try of a possible victory seemed to spark Wasps back into life as the match entered its final 10 minutes.

Walder kicked them clear once more with another penalty in the 74th minute but the tit-for-tat nature into which the game had dissolved was broken when Blair's missed penalty attempt moments later settled matters.