A brace of tries from Rob Webber and another from his front-row partner Anthony Perenise, together with nine points from the boot of George Ford, led them to a 24-18 win in High Wycombe in a match that went back and forward for much of an entertaining 80 minutes.

Wasps scored a try in either half through wing Will Helu and flanker Ashley Johnson and Andy Goode landed a conversion and two penalties but it wasn’t enough to keep their hopes of a second Amlin Challenge Cup crown and a first trophy of any sorts since 2008 alive for another month.

Bath have also been without silverware since they won this tournament six years ago but they will now head to Cardiff knowing another win to add to their eight already in Europe this term would finally end that drought.

Wasps started and finished brightly despite the end result and a huge shove on the first scrum brought immediate rewards as Bath buckled under pressure at the setpiece. Goode stepped up to land the second-minute penalty from the 15-metre line on the right and Wasps had the start they were after.

Bath looked to keep the ball alive at every opportunity early on but the momentum was mainly with Wasps, for whom one driving maul brought a 20-metre gain and a huge roar from the Adams Park faithful. But the charge ended when Wasps were penalised at the breakdown and Bath were level in the blink of an eye as their own maul was brought down illegally after Ford had kicked to touch.

Ford’s 25-metre penalty on 12 minutes was followed by a second by Goode from a similar distance, though, so Wasps had their three-point advantage back approaching the quarter-of-an-hour mark.

Ford pushed his second attempt at goal wide of the near post from an almost identical position to his first effort with 20 minutes gone but Bath were in front for the first time five minutes later. The pack powered on deep in Wasps territory and tight-head prop Perenise touched down when the Wasps resistance was eventually split in two.

Ford put his previous miss behind him to land the extras – again, from a similar position to takes one and two – and it looked as though Bath would lead at the break as defences won the day for the next 13 minutes. But just 60 seconds before the interval, Wasps struck in stunning fashion as Elliott Daly cut through the Bath defence following Ford’s lengthy 22 drop out and Helu stepped inside the cover to supply the finish that Daly’s adventure deserved.

Goode’s conversion on the stroke of half-time handed Wasps a three point lead at 13-10 and things threatened to get even better for Dai Young’s troops just three minutes after the restart when Kearnan Myall crossed for what Wasps thought was their second try in quick succession. But referee Romain Poite called for the TMO and Bath escaped when he ruled that Matt Mullan’s scoring pass was marginally forward.

Things then swung Bath’s way before the dust of Myall’s wiped out score had settled as Webber made the most of a mistake at a Wasps lineout close to their own line to power over almost unopposed. Ford’s conversion made it 17-13 after 46 minutes as things really sprung to life. Both sides had chances as the action went from end-to-end, with Nick Abendanon’s scything burst the highlight.

Bath were unable to finish things off on that occasion but they were soon celebrating again as Webber grabbed his second try after Wasps had no answer to the power of Bath’s pack from close quarters. Ford kicked a penalty to touch, skipper Stuart Hooper won lineout ball and his fellow forwards powered over, with Webber the man to emerge from underneath a pile of bodies.

Ford’s extras pushed Bath 24-13 in front with 22 minutes left but any suggestions that Wasps would lie down and accept their fate were shortlived as Johnson dived over in the far corner six minutes later. The South African blindside did well to stay infield following another lineout drive after Wasps had opted against a simple shot at goal.

Bath thought they had wrecked any hopes of a Wasps comeback almost immediately, however, as Jonathan Joseph touched down after cutting a fine line from just five metres out. But the TMO spotted a knock on when Anthony Watson had contested possession in the air earlier in the move and Wasps survived to fight on just one score behind.

And their cause was given a helping hand with five minutes remaining when Bath centre Kyle Eastmond was yellow carded for a careless tip tackle on Charlie Hayter as Wasps went hunting for the converted score that would put them back in front.

But Bath dug deep as their pack got them out of trouble and it is they who march on to face the Saints at Cardiff Arms Park in just under four weeks’ time.