Having lost only 34-33 in the Cup at Mold last week to a side that had not lost at home for 24 months, hopes were high for the first home league fixture last Saturday, even though the visitors were Crumlin who are expected to excel this season. With a big pack, as usual, Crumlin made the first five minutes difficult as people weighed each other up, and then Monmouth, despite having failed to field the very first drop out to them, sparked into life in the backs with right wing Brace breaking out of defence after six minutes, foot-faulting the opposing full-back beautifully, to complete a scorching 70 yard run to score under the posts. Croudace added the two easy points. Midway through the first half with Monmouth looking the stronger at that stage, fly half Croudace changed the direction of play by passing inside to prop Ricketts bursting through on his right. When brought down the home pack rucked well and recycled, and flanker Griffiths was the one of many supporting forwards on hand to claim the try, although Croudace was to miss the kick to make it 12-0 after 20 minutes.. The score-board clicked on again when Crumlin repeatedly tried to slow down play lost a player to a yellow card and Croudace converted the penalty. Everything was going Monmouth’s way with Crumlin looking very leaden footed up front and just a couple of lively backs, another penalty came the way of Croudace’s trusty right boot The home three-quarters were still something special, and this time it was the turn of full-back King to turn on the class, beating several people to glide out of defence and eventually feed left wing Baker who positively galloped around the corner-flagging defence for yet another converted try and a 25-0 lead almost on the half-hour. Crumlin’s pride was now sufficiently dented that they forced the Monmouth pack back up the field helped by a ‘mistaken identity’ yellow card for Ricketts allegedly coming in from the side, and not helped by the enforced changes up front, a visiting forward sneaked out of a driving maul to drop over the line for an unconverted try and a 25-5 half-time score. With further enforced Monmouth forward changes due to injury, Crumlin began the second half with some greater determination, and at times Monmouth did well to hold their line. It was a measure of the changed game that it was a full 20 minutes before Monmouth’s backs were able to turn on the style again, but this time through a well placed grubber kick behind the Crumlin defence by centre Davies, which Baker picked up and dived over to score his second try of the match. Then Lady Luck deserted Monmouth for a period as substitute wingman Adams was yellow-carded for alleged dangerous play, but it was a conventional passing move along the Monmouth line and then a piece of full back King’s magic, supported well by Croudace who also converted his own try which was to take Monmouth further ahead to 37-5. Legs tired, not unsurprisingly given Monmouth’s unassailable 37 points with only five minutes of ordinary time to go, and Crumlin, to their credit, outflanked the Monmouth defence to gain a consolation try at the end of injury time for a very promising final score of 37-10. Llandaff North away is the next challenge this coming Saturday, but the Druids are at home to Garndiffaith in the Pontypool and District league for what should be a good hard game, kick-off 2.30 on Chippenham.
|