Sale battled back from a 14-point deficit to end Wasps' season at Heywood Road.

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Trailing the visitors 27-13 after 50 minutes, the hosts scored 30 unanswered points to advance to a Zurich Championship semi-final against Gloucester.

The match turned on the sin-binning of Wasps flanker Phil Greening, who was sent from the field with his side in the lead.

When he returned, Sale were only a point behind and had established a winning momentum.

Wasps coach Warren Gatland said afterwards: "Phil had a good game, but the referee warned us about killing the ball at half-time, so to get sin-binned for that was stupid.

"You can't afford to have players off the field and Sale scored 10 points while he was in the bin."

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Neither side dominated in an uneven opening half, but Wasps opened up a lead on the scoreboard with a brace of tries from veteran wing Martin Offiah and another from Paul Sampson.

Alan Dickens replied for Sale but Josh Lewsey crossed unchallenged for the visitors, who needed to reach the final to qualify for the Heineken Cup.

But the introduction of Bryan Redpath and Jason Robinson either side of Greening's departure gave the hosts an extra dimension in attack.

Flattering look

Alex Sanderson put Sale back in contention when he crashed past four defenders to score.

Home stand-off Charlie Hodgson slotted two penalties and then put his team in front by converting Steve Hanley's try.

And when Greening, who played at flanker and acted as goalkicker for Wasps, missed a penalty and Matthew Leek sliced a drop-goal attempt wide, Sale were in control.

Hodgson landed another penalty before wings Anthony Elliot and Hanley again touched down in injury-time to give the scoreline a flattering look.

Sale coach Jim Mallinder said: "We felt we had a strong enough squad to be able to rest a few and when things weren't going so well it was nice to have Bryan and Jason to bring on.

"We have not lost at Heywood Road this year and it would be nice to take that record into next season."

Sale: Going; Hanley, Baxendell, Deane, Elliott; Hodgson, Dickens; Black, Marais, Stewart, Lines, Jones, Perelini, Wilks, A Sanderson.
Replacements: Redpath, Robinson, Harris, Pinkerton, Giacheri, Turner, Titterrell.

Wasps: Sampson; Roberts, Abbott, Denney, Offiah; Lewsey, Wood; Dowd, Leota, Green, Shaw, Jones, Worsley, Greening, Lock.
Replacements: Friday, Leek, Wigran, McCarthy, Beardshaw, Jenkins, Mackenzie.

Referee: Tony Spreadbury (England)