Bath were plunged into desperate relegation trouble at the bottom of the Zurich Premiership by a strong Wasps display.

Worsley grabbed Wasps' first try

They produced an error-strewn performance and only rallied when it was too late after falling 23-0 behind at the break.

Bath now face a huge battle to avoid the drop after London Irish pulled off a 14-12 win at Saracens.

The West Country side meet the Exiles on Thursday in what is now a must-win match.

Wasps gained revenge for Bath's 20-17 Powergen Cup success at Adams Park in December.

Flanker Joe Worsley and centre Stuart Abbott grabbed first-half tries, John Rudd struck in the second and a faultless kicking display from Alex King did the rest.

Simon Danielli and Gareth Cooper got Bath on the board after the break, but they picked up another injury to their fragile backline.

For us now, staying up is as big as winning the Premiership itself. Michael Foley Bath coach

Tom Voyce pulled up with a leg injury in the first half and joins Mike Tindall, Matt Perry and Iain Balshaw in the treatment room.

Wasps fly-half Alex King provided the early platform with a drop goal and penalty in the first quarter.

Bath's defence rapidly disintegrated and Worsley took advantage after Mark van Gisbergen and Fraser Waters combined on the right.

Worsley then twisted through some weak tackles and galloped over from 15m.

Abbott ran in after 31 minutes, giving both Mike Catt and Ollie Barkley the slip to score from 30m out.

King converted both tries and added a penalty, after Jonathan Humphrey was yellowed carded, but Bath finally found some rhythm after the interval.

Catt won a penalty and he rapidly moved the ball right for Barkley to put Simon Danielli into the corner.

I'm disappointed because we wanted a bonus point Warren Gatland Wasps director of rugby

Barkley converted to salvage some pride before adding a penalty in the 53rd minute.

But King added a further penalty and drop goal to take his tally to 19 points.

And any chance of a comeback was ended by Rudd's breakaway try in the 74th minute, van Gisbergen converting.

Bath struck again after Wasps had replacement hooker Phil Greening sin-binned, but Gareth Cooper's 77th-minute try and Barkley's conversion were academic.

Bath: Voyce, Danielli, Seveali'i, Catt, Maggs, Malone, Cooper, Barnes, Humphreys, Mallett, Borthwick, Grewcock, G. Thomas, Beattie, N. Thomas.
Replacements: A. Williams, Mears, Galasso, Barkley, Davey, Scaysbrook, Delve.

Referee: Roy Maybank (RFU).