Lawrence Dallaglio's drop-goal will never make it into any Jonny Wilkinson coaching video but it proved crucial as the reigning champions finally claimed their first victory of the season.
Dallaglio's strike helped London Wasps to a hard-fought win at Leeds, though they will continue their Zurich Premiership campaign without the former England captain, who suffered a rib injury.
"His rib popped out in a tackle but I don't know how serious it is," said Wasps' director of rugby Warren Gatland. "We will have to wait until the injury settles down.
"It was not the prettiest of kicks but it brought three points, which is what counts. We had been speaking beforehand about coming away with points every time we got into their 22. It has always been tough to come to Leeds but in the last two years a victory here has proved the catalyst for our season.
"We have got a lot of players still to come back but we know that this league is going to be very tough. Every time we play, the other team treat it as a cup final. I just hope they play with the same intensity against other teams."
Wasps, who had lost their opening two games, missed the presence of their back-row stalwart after he was forced off just before the interval but, defensively, the did just enough against a committed but limited Leeds side.
The Tykes again had the consolation of a bonus point, for a narrow defeat, but a third successive loss leaves them facing a long, hard struggle to maintain their Premiership status.
"I am disappointed," said the Tykes' director of rugby Phil Davies, whose side have not won at Headingley since last December. "We put a lot of effort into our game and played some positive rugby. But again in the final third we lost our composure when we had a couple of try-scoring chances. We need to play it a bit smarter at times.
"Wasps are a few players down but they are an experienced side and that showed, especially in the second half. We have just got to keep plugging away."
Wasps looked anything but reigning champions of England and Europe before suddenly producing a spell of slick handling which brought their only try on 15 minutes, after Duncan Ross and Alex King had exchanged penalties.
The full-back Mark van Gisbergen's clever pass gave the wing Tom Voyce the freedom to cut inside the final marker before finding the prop Will Green, who cantered over unopposed.
Leeds, unlike their opening league game when they succumbed miserably to Gloucester, fought back with another Ross penalty before his half-back partner Alan Dickens was sin-binned for stamping.
Wasps managed only one score with the scrum-half off the pitch but what a memorable one it was as Dallaglio, fully 25 metres out, instantly sized up his opportunity.
As drop-goals go it wasn't pretty, the ball just popping over the bar, but it gave Wasps the cushion they needed despite Ross landing another penalty before the interval.
Most of Leeds's better moments were forward- inspired but each time they got within sight of the visitors line they frittered away possession. Three missed penalties also proved decisive.
Leeds: Cardey (Bigg, 69); Rees, Christophers, Snyman, Albanese; Ross, Dickens; Shelley, Regan (Rawlinson, 65), Kerr, Murphy, Palmer (capt), Dunbar (Hooper, 61), Rigney, Hyde (Parks, 51).
Sin-bin: Dickens, 24.
Pens: Ross 3.
Wasps: Van Gisbergen; Prescott (Brooks, 61), Erinle, Richards, Voyce; King, Dawson; Payne, Greening (Gotting, 61), Green (McKenzie, 61), Hart, Birkett, Worsley, Dallaglio (capt; Lock, 39), O'Connor.
Try: Green. Con: King. Pen: King. Drop-goal: Dallaglio.
Referee: C White (Cheltenham).
Attendance: 3,526.
