Despite beating Crumlin at Home last Saturday, and now having a positive (+7) points difference overall for the season to date, Monmouth are still favourites for the drop into National Division 5, especially as Chepstow played above themselves beating Cardiff HSOB away by a small margin and who still have games still to play in hand over Monmouth. In dry, sunny conditions the only weather problem was a strong and blustery wind which was to hamper line-out throws, long passes and obviously any form of kicking. Despite this, left wing Tom Baker was able to get onto the end of a skilled chip over the Crumlin defence by centre Andrew Davies as it crossed the visitors goal-line inside the first five minutes. The conversion kick into the strong wind predictably failed. Crumlin were matching Monmouth at this stage and in turn put pressure on the home line several times before gaining a penalty kick which failed. General frustrations began to show through as the uncommunicative repeatedly stopped the game for the various errors taking place as a result of the tensions generated by such relegation battles and from the disruptive wind. Such tensions were exacerbated by attempted visitor skulduggery which eventually was rewarded with a yellow card to a player from both sides for fighting but the loss of a forward for the visitors was to prove more crippling than did the loss of Baker to the sin-bin, even though of late he has been playing as if on fire. Throws to the front of the line were now resulting in strong takes by 2 nd Row John Powell and Monmouth were able to tie up the Crumlin forwards who like to be the dominant ones and Monmouth were able to spread the ball wide on both sides of the field although handling errors, disappointing turnovers and kicking away of possession made sure there were no more scores for Monmouth despite their growing superiority. With the wind and the slope Monmouth now heaped on the pressure but for virtually the whole half seemed incapable of scoring as if the Gods were against them. On one such occasion the grandstand side crowd were incensed as Baker was deprived of an almost certain try by a perverse touch judge adjudication which the referee had to accept, whilst on another occasion Baker drove almost to the line only to be rightly penalised for holding on when tackled. A run from defence by full back Matt King followed by a deep kick which looked too long but then skewed into touch was called back for a Monmouth advantage from an earlier infringement near the half-way line, even though a 5 yard line-out would certainly have been preferred and right wing Dave Brace was also unlucky for his legs to be tackled into touch to prevent another score. Mike Griffiths who played with a great deal of vigour throughout, as did Leighton Phillips and Gareth Morgan, went over with fifteen minutes to go but was adjudged to have been held up, and as normal time was about to end Crumlin at last began to make an impact by driving the ball up the middle and retaining possession through maul after maul over a full 65 yards. Those who have supported Monmouth all season began to fear the worst because they have seen too many leads lost right at the end of a dominant performance. But this time Monmouth drove back downfield for hooker Stacey Edwards to typically rip the ball free and make good yards, running low as he normally does, to find he was unfailingly supported by No 8 Leighton Phillips who still had to work hard for a try near the posts, and near enough for fly half Dave Croudace to convert for a final 12-0 result. With the crowd celebrating loudly on the touchline, the now dis-heartened Crumlin were not on the look-out for one of scrum-half Gareth Morgan’s hallmark quick penalties and off he set, eventually kicking ahead only to see it drift over the dead-ball line before he dived on it. Team celebrations in Monmouth that night were justified as everyone gave of their best, but the final away game at Trinant on 15 April is an absolute ‘must win’ game and then begins the waiting period to see who else loses games they have in hand before Monmouth’s final fate is known. A very rewarding day nevertheless!
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