On the sunniest of winter days but a quagmire of a pitch, last Saturday Monmouth turned in probably their most determined performance of the season thus far in the ‘must win’ match at Talywain. No-one under-performed and there were some truly heroic efforts at times and yet despite all this commitment and leading for the last twenty minutes of the game, the record will show they lost 20-18 from the last drive by the home pack right on the final whistle. Referees can only police games as they see them and so no-one can criticise his final decision, but it is not unreasonable to report an unsolicited comment by the Talywain touch-judge at the time, who said that the ball had been held up over the line by a Monmouth forward, That he felt they had deserved the result because of the way they had outplayed the home forwards throughout the game obviously cuts no ice as the score-line still stands 20-18 and next week’s away game against Cardiff HSOB assumes even greater importance that it would otherwise have done. But the nature of the defeat and the performance on Saturday should ensure captain Stockley who led by example has little difficulty in demanding the same again and again. Whether their luck will change remains to be seen. The game started promisingly, before the cloying mud cumulatively interceded, with Monmouth riding a full ten minutes of pressure before their first real incursion into their opponents’ half and also the first penalty of the game.. The ball was being spread wide and only the occasional mis-handling frustrated early on, although Talywain back-chatting also helped Monmouth gain ground on many an occasion. Fifteen minutes in, full-back Berry, who hardly put a foot wrong despite many a difficult situation, was tackled just short after picking up a clever grubber kick. The pack were there to support the move and following two drives at the line, flanker Griffiths got the first score of the game. Kicking proved difficult out of the mud though and the conversion failed. Talywain responded with vigour and when Monmouth tried to break out of defence by a kick to touch they were punished by a penalty when three of their backs were caught offside by their very eagerness to get back upfield. Next a Talywain forward broke off a scrum to dive on a loose ball and when Hirst tackled inside ten yards from an ensuing penalty, the referee set out a standard with a yellow card which many thought harsh. Monmouth defended hard for ten minutes but they were stretched twice when first, Talywain drove over from a left hand corner line-out and then, sadly the speedy scrum half Morgan slipped in the mud whilst trying to stop his opposing No 9 who sprinted under the post for a seven point try. Hirst’s transgression had effectively cost the side twelve points. But Monmouth were up for it and fought back for Frost to punish Talywain with a penalty near the posts for lying on the ball but despite intense further pressure they were unable to reduce the 15-12 deficit further before half-time. The second half was going to be tough and Talywain were not going to give in easily. Again they lost three points for killing the ball to draw the scores and when they took out a line-out jumper in the air, the kick was made easier by further dissent. It was now 15-18 to Monmouth and although their cause was helped by a yellow card for stamping, they could not score again. In fact, it has to be said that whilst Monmouth were trying hard to ‘dig-in’, there may well have been an earlier reversal or two but for some distinctly brave pieces of defence by Berry. Despite trying to play the game in the Talywain half it was heart wrenching to see the Talywain backs eventually put a move together as Monmouth legs tired, to launch their team near to the Monmouth line. A line-out, a penalty or two, and two drives at the line eventually brought the score to end an enthralling match. For Monmouth to be told again that they were the best side to visit Talywain this year was scant consolation for players who had given their all, but they can be proud of the way they played. Surely their luck must change soon?
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