Premiership: Wasps 21-26 Leicester Tigers

Adam Thompstone celebrates his match-winning try for Leicester

Leicester made light of being a man down for the second half as they beat neighbours Wasps on their first trip to the Ricoh Arena.

Adam Thompstone's late try sealed a win that secured Champions Cup rugby next season and strengthens Tigers' hopes of a Premiership play-off place.

After first-half tries from Niall Morris and Niki Goneva, Seremaia Bai's red card looked a turning point.

But Wasps' seven penalties could only earn them a losing bonus point.

After only their second defeat at their new home in Coventry, at a sold-out Ricoh, Dai Young's side are now in danger of surrendering sixth place to Sale.

The Manchester side's 34-28 win over Newcastle means they trail Wasps by four points going into next weekend's final fixtures.

Wasps veteran Andy Goode, on his final home appearance, kicked six penalties for an 18-point individual haul, supplemented by a late three-pointer from Alex Lozowski.

Freddie Burns replied with three penalties and a conversion, but the day was more about the Tigers' defence.

The Tigers took just eight minutes to cross the whitewash, full-back Morris going over in the left corner and with Burns having already kicked an early penalty, adding the conversion meant a 10-0 lead.

Two Goode penalties either side of another from Burns put Wasps on the scoreboard but, when left wing Goneva went in at the left corner, although the kick was missed, Leicester now led 18-6.

Two more Goode penalties either side of Bai's red card meant the hosts were trailing only 18-12 at the break.

Referee Wayne Barnes, having initially sent Bai to the sin bin for hitting Nathan Hughes from behind, changed his mind after studying the replay on the screen and called the Tigers centre back on to the field to issue a red card instead.

Burns slotted another three-pointer as Leicester led 21-12 but two more penalties brought Wasps back within range, only for right winger Thompstone to score in the corner.

And, although Lozowski's late penalty at least earned a bonus point, that was as close Wasps got as, for the first time this season, they failed to score a try.

Wasps director of rugby Dai Young told BBC Sport:

"I've no complaints. The better team won. It's no accident that Leicester Tigers are in the top four year after year.

"We struggled to cope with their physicality. We failed to keep hold of the ball long enough to make our one-man advantage count.

"We had a lot more opportunities in the second half but, if you don't take your chances, you come away with nothing. Three visits to our line and they came away with three tries.

"I'm disappointed that we didn't do ourselves justice, but the Tigers were outstanding."

Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill told BBC Sport:

"Seremaia Bai's not a dirty player. He's never been sent off before but, if you put your shoulder into another player's unprotected head, you're going to get sent off.

"Seremaia getting sent off put the cat among the pigeons but our players' reaction was fantastic.

"It wasn't perfect. It was all hands to the pump, but to come here with a home record like they have, score three tries and not concede any is great credit to the players.

"If we had lost it would have made it very difficult to make the top four, but we'll have to wait and see how others get on now."

Wasps: Masi, Wade, Daly, Leiua, Tagicakibau, Goode, Simpson, Mullan, Festuccia, Cittadini, Gaskell, Myall, Johnson, Haskell, N. Hughes.

Replacements: Miller for Masi (39), Lozowski for Goode (72), C. Davies for Simpson (48), McIntyre for Mullan (72), Lindsay for Festuccia (66), Taylor for Cittadini (72), Launchbury for Myall (52), Thompson for N. Hughes (72).

Leicester: Morris, Thompstone, Tait, Bai, Goneva, Burns, B. Youngs, Mulipola, T. Youngs, Cole, Thorn, Kitchener, Parling, Salvi, Crane.

Replacements: Loamanu for Tait (66), Bell for Goneva (76), Harrison for B. Youngs (60), Ayerza for Mulipola (50), Ghiraldini for T. Youngs (57), Slater for Thorn (60), Gibson for Parling (19).

Sent off: Bai (36).

Attendance: 32,019.

Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU).