LV= Cup: Sale become first visiting side to win at Wasps this season
Sale recorded their first away triumph of the season to book their place in the semi-finals of the LV= Cup.
Last Updated: 02/02/13 4:46pm
Danny Cipriani crossed for one of the Sharks' five tries as the visitors ended an 11-game losing run on the road to book their place in the semi-finals of the Anglo-Welsh competition.
The former Wasp also landed four conversions in a match that turned on the sin-binning of Will Taylor right at the start of the second half.
In his absence, Wasps - who had previously managed 10 wins from 10 in front of their own fans in the 2012/13 campaign - conceded three tries, blowing what had been a tight contest wide open.
The home side had actually taken the lead after six minutes, Charlie Davies' inside ball sending Charlie Hayter through for a try on his home debut.
Stephen Jones added the simple conversion before the former Wales fly-half added a penalty from in front of the posts to take the score to 10-0.
But the Sharks hit back when they were awarded a penalty try; they then took the lead when Kearnan Myall barged his way over from close range, Cipriani landing both conversion attempts to make it 14-10.
Jones cut the gap to one with his second penalty and Wasps ended a see-saw opening half ahead when Tommy Bell landed a long-range three-pointer from just inside Sale's half.
However, the yellow card for Taylor changed the momentum completely. From the resulting line-out Sale captain Sam Tuitupou forced his way over, while the Sharks had the bonus point in the bag when hooker Tommy Taylor charged clear to the line.
Cipriani rounded off a superb move to score in the left-hand corner and at that stage, even with the No.10 unable to add the extras after his own try, the Sharks looked to be cruising into the last four.
Wasps, though, pulled one score back with 10 minutes left thanks to Davies and their hopes of a late comeback were further boosted by the sin-binning of Sale's Aston Croall in the closing stages.
Yet although Sam Jones went over for a try that Bell converted, it turned out to be the last kick of the match, meaning the Sharks had just about held on for a win that means they, not Leicester, will finish top of Pool 2.