Leicester Tigers overturned a 10-point deficit to beat crisis club Wasps 38-17 in the Premiership Rugby Cup.
But Tigers, who opened their account through Sean Jansen, hit back as Emeka Ilione, Hosea Saumaki, Sam Edwards and Archie Vanes sealed victory.
London Irish came from 19 points down to beat Northampton 28-26, while Sale defeated Newcastle 29-21.
Comebacks the theme of the night
All three winning teams turned around double-digit deficits on a dramatic night of rugby with Irish’s fightback the pick of the bunch.
When Australian winger James Ramm crossed twice on his Saints debut to add to Sam Graham’s bulldozing opener for Northampton, the visitors seemed home and dry with a 19-0 half-time lead.
Even when Hallam Chapman got the hosts on the board, Oisin Heffernan went over from a maul to quickly re-establish Northampton’s 19-point lead at 26-7.
But Chapman’s second gave last season’s runners-up hope and Logan Trotter cut the arrears to five before a last-minute penalty try earned Irish a memorable win to move them eight points cleat at the top of Group C.
Sale’s recovery was not quite as jaw-dropping, as they leapt above Leicester to the top of Group B, but they did trail winless Newcastle 10-0 after a Marcus Tiffen try and a Josh Thomas conversion and penalty.
Tries from Elliot Gourlay, Joe Jones and Cal Morris turned the game on its head as Sale led 19-13 but Elliott Obatoyinbo’s superb solo score and a James Blackett penalty nudged Falcons back in front.
However, Aaron Pope’s try proved decisive for unbeaten Sale, who added a late Tom Curtis penalty despite playing the final 10 minutes with 14 men after Ben Bamber was sin-binned for a high tackle.
Tigers’ turnaround stuns Wasps
Wasps had recorded back-to-back victories in league and cup despite their perilous plight off the field and began well as Dawkins chased Hartley’s kick to dot down in the corner.
After Leicester levelled from a maul, with Jansen the man to bundle over, Hartley threw a fine dummy to burst through poor Tigers defending to put the visitors back in front.
Will Haydon-Wood, who had converted both Wasps tries, added a penalty to take the lead into double figures but that proved to be as good as it got for the visitors.
Saumaki’s burst set up flanker Ilione to reduce the arrears and the Tonga wing later finished off another Tigers maul to put them ahead after a Jed Walsh penalty levelled matters.
Wasps did threaten a response but terrific Tigers defending kept them at bay before Edwards and Vanes put a gloss on the scoreline with late tries.
Wasps transition coach Matt Everard downplayed the impact of the club’s financial issues on the team.
He told BBC Coventry and Warwickshire: “There’s been such little chat about it since the meeting last Thursday – because it’s been game, game in close succession. It’s probably been the best thing for us and we’ve just cracked on with the rugby.”
