London Wasps kept their slim title hopes alive with a hard-fought 21-16 victory against London Irish at Adams Park in the Guinness Premiership.

The champions led from the eighth minute, when a period of intense pressure on the Irish line prompted the referee to award a penalty try.

Fly-half Danny Cipriani (pictured) converted and added two penalties to take his side into the break with a 13-3 lead - the Exiles points coming from the boot of Shane Geraghty, who missed three penalty shots in testing wind.

Geraghty closed the gap to 10 points with a penalty early in the second half, but Wasps produced a fine move soon after that which culminated in prop Pat Barnard squeezing in at the corner, ably assisted by Mark van Gisbergen.

Cipriani took his tally to 11 points with a penalty on the hour mark which saw Wasps take a commanding 21-9 lead.

But the Irish reacted positively and it was no surprise when winger Adam Thompstone scorched past Tom Voyce on the left wing for a superb score that Geraghty converted.

The visitors pressed hard for a converted try to steal victory but Wasps held firm in defence to secure a vital win in their drive for European qualification.

The 2007/08 Premiership champions are now 18 points adrift of league leaders Gloucester and four behind Sale in the fourth and final automatic European spot, but with a third of the season remaining Ian McGeechan’s team remain in contention.

As for the Irish, the defeat makes it five league matches without a victory and a side who topped the Premiership in January have slipped to sixth. But with only five points separating the top six clubs, the Exiles are still very much in the title race.