Aviva Premiership: Andy Goode kicks last-gasp drop-goal as London Wasps beat Exeter
Andy Goode's last-gasp drop-goal secured Wasps a dramatic 19-16 victory over battling Exeter at Adams Park.
Last Updated: 06/01/14 7:54am
The hosts had found themselves ten points down at the break after Exeter made the fastest of starts with Dave Lewis stealing in for an opportunist try with less than two minutes on the clock.
But Wasps responded with a score of their own in the second period from Joe Simpson and the full-back then saved his side late on with a try-saving tackle on Henry Slade.
That ensured the scores were level heading into the dying moments before Goode's decisive late intervention ensured the points stayed with the Londoners.
Exeter raced out of the blocks thanks to a solid line-out platform and Lewis' quick thinking, the alert scrum-half racing clean through to touch down with the home defence napping - Slade's conversion consolidated the Chiefs' perfect start.
Wasps responded when long-range penalty specialist Elliot Daly found the target after the home side had blasted Exeter off a ruck, although Slade slotted one of his own with little delay to restore the seven-point cushion.
Ten-point lead
Full-back Daly then spilt a high ball under no real pressure on the half hour and Exeter drove Wasps into conceding a penalty at the scrum, allowing Slade three more easy points and the visitors a 13-3 half-time lead.
Wasps won a scrum penalty five minutes after the restart from which Goode duly obliged and they should have scored their first try from Charlie Hayter's midfield charge, but Goode could not find William Helu cleanly and was instead forced to settle for his second penalty in three minutes.
On the hour mark the hosts finally had their try, though, with Simpson mimicking opposite number Lewis' first-half score for Exeter, sneaking round a ruck to race home unimpeded.
Wasps had the lead for the first time, which Goode's conversion extended to three points.
Simpson then produced his important tackle to deny Slade, twisting him off the ground with television match official Graham Hughes adjudging a try not to have been scored.
Slade did, though, slot a penalty to level the scores, but Exeter would be denied at the last by Goode with the veteran fly-half landing a fine drop-goal after Wasps had set a platform in the Exeter half.