Aviva Premiership: Wasps too good for London Welsh
London Wasps romped to a four-try victory over London Welsh, Tom Varndell grabbing the bonus-point score in a 34-15 win.
Last Updated: 29/12/12 5:31pm
A brilliant try from scrum-half Joe Simpson was the highlight, while the visiitors also crossed through wing Elliot Daly and replacement prop Will Taylor.
Welsh fly-half Gordon Ross kicked all his side's points with five penalties, while Wasps fly-half Nicky Robinson landed three penalties, Daly booted one and replacement stand-off Stephen Jones kicked the only conversion of the match.
Daly missed a long-range effort for the visitors before an excellent scrum from the Exiles and an offside decision saw Ross secure two successes.
But the Exiles' lead did not last long as ex-Wales international Robinson levelled matters with two penalties, then sent two more penalties wide of the uprights from similar distances of 25 metres.
Ross, on the other hand, was deadly accurate at that short range and he kicked another two goals to take his side into a 12-6 interval lead.
Robinson reduced the arrears after the break to three points with his third penalty before a piece of individual magic took the match up a gear.
In what will surely be one of the contenders for try of the season, Simpson took the ball from a line-out thirty metres from the Welsh line, went through a gap at the back and embarked on a diagonal sprint across the pitch.
He looked to be going nowhere but somehow found a gap towards the line. The scrum-half ran through three tackles and got past desperate defence on the line to touch down.
Robinson failed with the conversion but when Daly kicked a thumping penalty from fully 53 metres, it was the turning point of the contest.
Daly sprinted down the right wing to just get in for the second try although Ross' fifth penalty kept Welsh in the hunt before a killer converted try from replacement Will Taylor wrapped up the contest.
Vardnell went over on 83 minutes to get the bonus point and keep Wasps in the chase for a top-four spot.