Jack Rowell will journey with Danny Grewcock to Coventry tomorrow when Bath's director of rugby helps mount his captain's defence at a disciplinary hearing after last week's sending-off for stamping on his old flat-mate Kyran Bracken at Saracens.
If Rowell's powers of persuasion can match Bath's powers of recovery here the Lions lock should, like his club, have no problems getting out of jail. Perhaps it was the thought of Bath's old adversaries Leicester losing again a few hours earlier but something stirred them after an hour of mediocrity when they had stumbled to 24-9 and Wasps had done everything but bolt the door.
The comeback culminated in Dan Lyle's spectacular but unconverted try a minute into injury-time. Wasps can be dangerous at this time of year, though, and there was still time for a sting in the tail when, straight from kick-off, Lyle flapped at the ball to give Alex King the chance to level the scores with a 35-metre drop goal with the last kick of the match.
King and Wasps celebrated with the kind of enthusiasm that would normally follow a scuffed kick into touch for they knew a first away win had all but been wrapped up. But for Bath, racked by injury and with key men Steve Borthwick, Iain Balshaw and Matt Perry weeks away from returning, this could kick-start their season.
Nobody pretends that the old days when they and Leicester were streets ahead of the rest will return but at least they can avoid being trapped in the rats' alley of relegation, as they were last season.
The sight of Rowell, who has returned after eight years, and players from the recent glory days such as Jeremy Guscott, Stuart Barnes and Andy Robinson in the stands, may be a reminder to Bath's young side of how they have slipped in the professional era. But the coaching regime of the Australians Michael Foley and Brian Smith is restoring the club as effectively as the city's spa waters.
As ever Mike Catt will be vital to that recovery for Bath are never the same without his playmaking qualities. After seven months out following shoulder surgery Catt had returned to the side at Saracens in the centre. He was shunted back to full-back here although Smith suggested that inside-centre might be his best position once his other injured backs return.
Catt was too removed from the action but he saved his best until last, fielding King's clearing kick in his own 22 and sending Tom Voyce on a weaving run which set up the ruck for Lyle's wonderful last-gasp score in the corner.
The memories of that move alone on a perfect late summer's afternoon will warm Bath's supporters through a long winter.
Bath: Catt; Danielli, Maggs, Tindall, Voyce; Malone, Cooper; Barnes, Humphreys (Mears, 74), Galasso (Mallett, 61), Beattie (Lloyd, 72), Grewcock (capt), G Thomas, Lyle, N Thomas.
Tries: Tindall, Lyle. Con: Malone. Pens: Malone 5.
Yellow card: Lyle, 32.
Wasps: Lewsey; Roiser (Sampson, h-t), Abbott, Denney, Logan; King, Howley; Dowd (Green, 53), Leota (Volley, 24), Molloy (Dowd, 61), Shaw, Beardshaw (Birkett, 62), Worsley, Greening, Dallaglio (capt).
Tries: Lewsey 2, penalty try. Cons: King 3. Pen: King. Drop goal: King.
Referee: N Whitehouse (Swansea). Attendance: 8,008.
