In a tough game on a sunny day with the pitch bedecked with new flags and post protectors generously supplied by Maddock Tool and Plant Hire, Monmouth just fell short in trying to take Fairwater's unbeaten crown from them.

Monmouth, choosing to play against the strong wind from the river end, were set back in their tracks when from almost the first move of the match, Fairwater ran the ball through countless missed tackles from near their own left hand corner, with their right wing completing the score by switching inside a despairing tackle to score. 5ponts down and virtually not a hand laid upon the visitors!

Monmouth were already playing 'catch-up' and suffered further setbacks when Fairwater converted a penalty in the eighth minute and then a try in the 25th. The allegedly fearsome visiting forwards were not proving the problem that had been expected with Monmouth if anything shading the exchanges even in these early stages with prop Stockley once again proving to be the destroyer of the opposing pack.

It was weak tackling by some of the backs, decisions to kick the ball away and then not to pursue it along with simple handling errors that built the thirteen point mountain for them to climb.

Monmouth now knuckled down as Fairwater began to flag, several times nearing the line only to be set back by long defensive kicks by Fairwater. But on the 30th minute scrum-half Taylor, who for once learned a thing or two from his opposite number, stepped inside a player in a stretched defensive line for Monmouth's first score, which Croudace ably converted.

Fairwater were not to be outdone as Monmouth fell foul of the referee's loose play interpretations again and scored a penalty goal to edge the league leaders into a 7-16 lead with only three minutes to go to half-time. For once the crowd felt vindicated when a rare penalty was awarded Monmouth's way for Croudace to narrow the gap to 10-16 minutes before half-time.

With the wind and slope in their favour it should have been literally all downhill for Monmouth in the second half, but the wily campaigners from Fairwater were to prove differently.

As Monmouth spasmodically built up pressure they were increasingly frustrated by their methods not pleasing the referee or the ball being lost in contact to Fairwater. Their scrum-half continued to use the many tricks at his disposal to disrupt and spoil Monmouth's best endeavours despite his own pack not living up to its normally fierce reputation.

Croudace kicked an important penalty to narrow things to 13-16 and the race was on, but time and time again Monmouth neared the line only to be rebuffed. When Stuart Boylan was tempted into retaliation, his departure from the field for foul play rang the death knell, putting his teammates under even greater pressure.

Not even four sets of fresh legs with ten minutes to go could make the final break through, and some were even arguing in the club-house afterwards that such mass substitutions are more disruptive than helpful to the rhythm of a team.

When Fairwater drove Monmouth back to their line the omens were bad and the award of yet another penalty to Fairwater looked terminal when they kicked it for a six point lead with five minutes to go.

The game became even more frantic with frequent stoppages for injury but it was significant that when the final whistle blew Monmouth were once again trying to clear a deep kick behind their own goal line.

Given Fairwater's record to date, the local performance gave the visiting pack something to think about, but Monmouth have to find some backs who are less error prone if they are to make the most of the chances developed for them by their forwards, who are being led from the front by captain Mark Jones.

The fixture next week is a friendly home one but it is still in the course of being confirmed.