WOEFUL Wasps produced their worst performance of the season as they were ripped apart by Worcester on Friday.

A disintegrating scrum, poor line-out and mis-firing back line led to their heaviest defeat this season as Worcester managed to grab a bonus-point victory for the first time this season in the league.

Wasps were missing 15 players through injury and international call-ups but coach Ian McGeechan admitted his side was not up to standard.

He said: "It was a poor performance without many redeeming features.

"There were a lot of mistakes and we gave Worcester quite a lot of soft points."

Wasps were 10-0 down inside eight minutes thanks to Aisea Havili's try and five points from the boot of Shane Drahm.

They suffered further when Joe Ward was sin-binned for a punch at the scrum but recovered well after that.

Paul Sackey and George Skivington produced great breaks, with Skivington just short of the line, before Jeremy Staunton landed a penalty to reduce the deficit.

Drahm restored Warriors' ten-point lead with a monster 55 metre penalty and it was 16-3 on 30 minutes when further indiscipline led to another Drahm penalty.

Wasps needed something and they got it through flanker Tom Rees. Ward's line-out was too long but Rees managed to pick it up. He then rebounded past one defender before he was driven over for the try.

But Staunton, who had a poor game all round, missed the easy conversion and it was only 16-8.

And it got worse at the end of the half as Worcester scored again to make it 23-8 at half time.

It looked like Wasps would get to half time with the game still in reach when Worcester were awarded a penalty at the scrum, on Wasps' five-metre line, with time elapsed.

Worcester opted for another scrum and it collapsed. But referee Sean Davey, instead of blowing for half time, reset it and when Worcester got the drive on, it collapsed again and Davey awarded a penalty try.

Wasps looked all at sea, with their vaunted back line unable to function on a rainy night.

And their slim chance of getting something from the game became no chance three minutes into the second half when Phil Murphy touched down.

Both sides seemed to realise the game was over, with neither side threatening another score.

Staunton was hauled off by Wasps for James Brooks, who promptly missed touch with three penalties as Wasps went for line-outs.

Paul Sackey roused feelings with a high tackle on 67 minutes that resulted in a yellow card.

And Worcester managed to grab their fourth try when Thinus Delport skipped through in injury time, with Stuart Abbott appealing in vain for crossing.

McGeechan said: "Physically and mentally we were off our game. There were a lot of unenforced errors and you can't afford to be three of four per cent off your game."

Wasps: Van Gisbergen, Sackey, Waters (Hoadley 56), Abbott, Erinle (Laird 78), Staunton (Brooks 55), Honeyben, McKenzie (Va'a 75), Ward (Barrett 65), Dawson, Skivington, Birkett (Corker 77), Leo, Rees (Chamberlain 78), Lock.

Scorers: Try - Rees; Pen - Staunton.

Referee: Shaun Davey.

Attendance: 9,726.

Worcester 37, Wasps 8