JOHN Brain pinpointed 15 pivotal second-half minutes when Worcester could have gone 17-10 up before eventually finding themselves 17 points adrift at Wasps.

If Thomas Lombard had of kept hold of a 49th minute pass, he would have scored Worcester's second try of the game.

However, the Frenchman dropped the ball just short of the line, the chance was gone and Wasps went up the other end and bagged 17 points.

"There was rugby's equivalent of an open goal before the sin-binning," said Worcester's director of rugby.

"Dale Rasmussen made a very good break and we didn't finish it off. That would have taken us 17-10 in front. The sin-binning cost us 17 points and it will be interesting to look at that decision again because to say it was match affecting is an understatement.

"However, we got a performance out of our team and I think, if we could have stayed 15 against 15, we were good for at least a point.

"At the point where we could have gone 17-10 in front, we were playing well enough to have a really good chance of winning the game. But after that and the sin-binning, you've got a 24-point swing which was quite significant really."

Brain was pleased, however, with the line-out work on show plus some superb defence in the first-half.

"We caused them problems in the line-out and it was just as well in the first-half because we made quite a few mistakes," he said.

"We didn't maintain continuity and pressure on Wasps, we turned over a lot of ball and that's very dangerous against them. We defended heroically in the first-half.

"We thought we were in with a chance at 10-3 but then to score straight after half-time was a bonus. Then there was the missed chance, the sin-bin and rest is history.

"Wasps have enough pace and power in the team to take advantage of any sin-bins and I think that's what they did to excellent effect. They are a quality team and have a lot of quick, strong, powerful people in that side who can really hurt you if they get momentum.

"We knew what the score was when we lost to Saracens. We knew we'd have to win two out of our remaining three games. We've won one of those and we will be going all out to beat Northampton. That will be our focus from now on."