Opposition view: Blackett says Wasps were 'miles better' against Saints

But Blackett was left to rue the fact his side conceded what he felt were some preventable scores during the first half of Saturday's Gallagher Premiership game at the Ricoh Arena.

Saints scored three times before the break, taking a 22-0 lead in at half-time thanks to efforts from Shaun Adendorff, Sam Matavesi and Taqele Naiyaravoro.

But Wasps came roaring back in the second half and were just five points down with 10 minutes to go, however they couldn't complete their comeback as they lost 22-17.

It was a second successive home defeat for Wasps, who had shipped six tries in a loss to Harlequins a week earlier.

But Blackett, who steered Wasps to the Premiership final last season, said: "I think that’s fair to say, if I reflect on this performance to the last week I thought we were miles better.

"We came out with loads of intent it was a pretty hard message at half-time because it was mainly about discipline.

"I thought there were times when we were inaccurate, but I felt our intent, our speed, everything we base our game around, was a massive improvement on last week and actually this week was more about our execution when we were down there.

"I think if you look at the game as a whole you say big moments, that 10 minutes that we spent with 13 men, then those big periods when we were close to the line.

"I think we had easy enough opportunities to get over the line, and when they got down there they probably scored a lot easier than we did."

Wasps were undone by first-half yellow cards for former Saints prop Kieran Brookes and lock James Gaskell.

Saints had their own disciplinary problems during the second period, with Naiyaravoro and Piers Francis sin-binned.

And Blackett said: "It is frustrating, we will look back at them (Wasps' yellow cards), but obviously it was a pretty big moment, giving a debatable penalty away for being offside at a kick, and on one of our exits.

"That put them in the corner, that’s another driving maul within that.

"That was a really average period for us and actually if you look, that's 14 points dropped when we are down to 13 men.

"That had a big effect on the game from that period."