A late kick-off and fast encroaching autumnal dusk apart, an encouragingly large crowd saw Monmouth defeat neighbours Usk last Friday by 17-0 at the Sports Ground. How they achieved such a score when Usk gave their normally dominant scrummage such a hard time gives pause for thought, but the home back row and some sparkling three-quarter moves still achieved three tries, two by a very sharp albeit veteran right wing David Brace. After a bout of Usk pressure a quick break-out by a very sharp Gareth Morgan, a well won ruck and clinical finish by Brace brought a converted try on the stroke of ten minutes. Usk battled well and in fast moving game it took Monmouth almost until half-time to stretch the visitors sufficiently to put Brace in again on the right although this time the try went unconverted. The referee had been keen on trying to achieve a fast flowing game and early in what was to be a for-shortened half Mike Griffiths who plays with great vigour this year was tackled through the left corner flag but the whistle had gone for a final forward pass after an excellent bout of inter-passing by the home team. Darkness was drawing in with a vengeance but the Monmouth backs generated one more glimpse of light when captain and centre Andrew Davies broke the gain line and with just a glance fooled the defence enough to send speedy full back Matt King away for the final score of the enjoyable ‘friendly’. Such a friendly on a Friday evening was the obvious answer to help both sides maintain momentum and fitness whilst being forbidden to play at the same time Wales play international matches, but the lack of floodlights and the need for an impossibly early kick off made for less than a full and complete test for either side. But the level of entertainment was good and a better curtain-raiser for the later England v S Africa game could not be found. Whatever side you supported, the atmosphere in the Club afterwards was exactly what one hoped the World Cup would generate, even if some of the ticket prices have been seriously prohibitive for the average rugby fan. Away to Brynithel next week in the league when the team management will be striving to make front five more forceful but whatever the team there is little doubt that Kelly Lehmann will be one of them, giving of his best as usual in his final game for the Club prior to a farewell disco at the Club that evening.
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