Following last week’s upset against Abertillery, much depended on winning away at Abercarn and Monmouth’s first thirty minute performance was excellent, although after 80 minutes it was definitely a close thing. The game started at a cracking pace with errors aplenty by both sides to match including a too high pass for wing David Brace who would certainly have scored after a good series of moves otherwise. But the disappointment merely acted as a spur for greater endeavour. Second row John Powell won the first of many successful lines-out and whilst driving mauls are not normally Monmouth’s strength they caught Abercarn cold inside the first ten minutes and drove a full 22 yards over the line for the first try of the game touched down by flanker Michael Griffiths although fly-half David Croudace missed the kick. Monmouth’s pack was dominating at this stage, the back row were playing with much more cohesion than last week and with the three-quarters on fire a little more composure might have brought some further scores but wrong options and wild passes were limiting progress. And then in another high speed move, full back Matt King cut an excellent inward angle on the left and when challenged threw a reverse pass to the very mobile supporting hooker Dave Morgan. When tackled Monmouth quickly recycled the ball from the ruck and as it moved through the half backs Croudace broke the line and scored a try which he converted. With a further penalty conversion just three minutes on Monmouth were 0-15 up after a mere twenty minutes. The heat and the comfort zone then kicked in a little and it required stern defence near the end of the half with at one time four of the visitors patching up at one stage and for two of them an eventual 20 stitches from their accidental collision. Abercarn were certainly picking up at this stage but Monmouth did well to keep a clean sheet for the time being as well as venture on some sorties of their own. Front row changes caused problems for the referee from the off in the second half but the guile of Abercarn’s old prop and a vociferous crowd were to keep him guessing, and often questionably to the disadvantage of the visitors. Inside five minutes a wheeled scrum was weakly defended putting the home team on the score-board at last although the try was too far out for the conversion with this five points certainly boosting home spirit and the ability to win quicker ball as well allowing their backs to increasingly cut a dash. Inroads were being made from deep and when Abercarn’s wing turned centre jinked left and right and left again to fed an over lap on the left the gap narrowed to 10-15. The task was made tougher with more than 20 minutes left when Monmouth lost a player to a yellow card for allegedly killing the ball but to their credit Monmouth toughed it out occasionally threatening but with Abercarn gaining themselves a losing bonus point by kicking a penalty goal for a final 13-15 result. World Cup matches intervene now but Monmouth hope to keep up their winning ways with a home fixture against Usk this Friday so that everyone can see the Australia game in the Club on Saturday.
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