MATCH REPORT

Monmouth RFC 42 – 19 Pontypool United RFC

🏉 Saturday 29th March 🏉 Monmouth set off firing on all four cylinders and straightaway were bombarding the visitors‘ line but to their credit, Pontypool United held out well eventually achieving a turnover and leaving home supporters to only imagine what might have been achieved in those early minutes. Wing and goalkicker Tabb soon put Monmouth on the scoreboard with a penalty in the first 5 minutes to maintain his 100% successive rate following his 11 kicks out of 11 the previous weekend. Throwing in to the line-out though and accurate kicking for touch or goal were going to prove increasingly difficult as the wind gradually grew in strength in what had promised to be a delightful sunny Spring day. Not to be outdone Monmouth soon threw the ball wide along the line to the left for full back Dunmore to cross for a converted try. Pontypool were equally lively and broke from a line out for an extensive run up field and despite being tackled were sufficiently supportive to take the popped-up ball to score a try of their own, unconverted this time. Play was very much end to end stuff at this stage and next the home team ran the ball some 70m out of defence largely through Tabb who then passed inside to centre Whelan for their second try of the game. The wind was now interfering and Tabb’s kick was sliced wide. The visitors responded with a move up-field and to the right which was quite spectacular but the apparent try was disallowed by the referee for a double movement in reaching over the line. Quite a let off given the speed and stile with which this potential try had been scored. White as flyhalf was unusually having to spend much of his time tackling which said a lot for the targeting of him that Pontypool were doing but to his credit he held his own well throughout. Not everyone was tackling as well because the next try by Pontypool was a direct result of two defenders jointly missing an attacker in midfield to allow the score to narrow to 15-12. Another penalty was fluffed due to the wind by Tabb but soon White in a striking solo effort danced his way around the defence to take the score to 22-12 as half-time drew near. Soon after the re-start, Captain and second row Woskett took a clean ball in the line out and dropped it down to his rampaging fellow second row partner Hobbs who drove straight through a tackle to score the first try of the second half. But Pontypool again responded in kind when after a series of phases they found space on Monmouth’s left flank to run over and around almost to the posts to narrow the gap to 29-19. The re-start questionably made ten metres but the resultant knock-on benefitted Monmouth because Hobbs again lead the charge and when tackled Tabb was able to kick another penalty for entering the ruck from the side to stretch the lead to 32-19. A yellow card for an unseen high tackle reduced Monmouth’s numbers but almost immediately Whelan put in a very strong run and when supported by flanker Mobbs Morgan another penalty resulted for him not rolling away. Substitute changes were made and this time Whelan put in a good recovering kick off some 40m to obtain a touch. Whether it was increasing tiredness or not the next penalty went the way of Monmouth for a defender not releasing in the tackle and Tabb was on hand yet again with the boot. A fairly lengthy injury time then ensued this time to the Home team’s advantage as the visitors began to flag, resulting in an excellent run down the field by wing Will Scriven who stepped inside a defender to find Hobbs available again to crossover for a final score of 42-19. This banana skin of a game against someone in the lower reaches of the league had been successfully circumvented, helped to a large extent by Tabb and his magic boot and his 17 individual points on this occasion despite taking a knock to his knee in the second half. Next week will be more trying when the team travel to Nelson who are better placed in the league than them but given the form they’ve been showing lately, there is a reasonable chance of success there, too, as the season gradually moves towards its close. 📝 Peter Walters 📸 Gareth Roberts

MATCH REPORT

MONMOUTH 65 Senghengydd 20

An important game against visitors Senghenydd for ensuring Monmouth were keeping well out of risk of relegation in a season in which they had, until Saturday, won 6, lost 6 and drawn 2 games. Despite their mid table position there was little room for error.

Noteworthy, too, for scrum-half Ollie Scrivens making his 50th appearance for the 1st XV during which he was to not only score but show his usual lively self.

Senghenydd had learnt from the mistake of starting off slowly in the recent home match which Monmouth had won but it was again their opponents that were first on the score-board with a Tabb penalty inside five minutes.

With both sides hard at it the ruck clearances were quick, making for an expansive game from the start with a successful exchange of penalties making it 6-3 inside the first quarter which was then rounded off by a sustained Monmouth attack of several phases and carries with fly half White up in support to score and for Tabb to again convert.

From a failed penalty kick by Monmouth for touch after the restart Senghenydd’s threatening attack by way of return was stopped by a good Scriven (the elder) tackle. Play though was recalled for a penalty and the visitors narrowed the score to 13-6 and all this inside the first 20 minutes.

By now with an exciting game developing the home crowd had swelled but unusually the visitors were smaller in numbers and certainly quieter than their usual selves.

With some equal spells of dogged but necessary defence over a ten minute period Monmouth and Tabb kicked another successful penalty followed quickly by a Monmouth free kick from a scrum which saw first, 2nd Row Hobbs and then Bartlett put in good carries, breaking tackles as they went.

With more clement weather than we have been used to the match official called a water break which rejuvenated Hobbs sufficiently to immediately burst through. Prop Cotton, showing his increasing prowess, was up to carry on, draw his man and put in scrum-half Scriven in for a converted try and a 23-6 lead.

With five minutes to the break and the visitors noticeably tiring, a quick penalty by White fed centre Dunmore for another converted try and with a minute to half time, full-back Jeffs scored the bonus point 4th try again converted by Tabb.

At 37-6 and the home team needing no encouragement saw a Hobbs break following the re-start and a run in over some 40 metres to deservedly stretch the score as reward for his Herculean efforts throughout the game to 44-6.

Running rampant at this stage, the home team from a kick ahead saw Tabb up to gather but tap tackled, Cotton was on hand to widen the score to 51-6. Senghenydd seemed to be struggling now for pace and stamina and their front row was obviously feeling the pressure in set pieces although, in fairness, these larger men could still display deft hands when necessary in attack.

Bates had now replaced Jeffs at full back but showing his eagerness by sometimes playing like a flanker at the breakdown he was on hand to move the score on to 58-6. But to Senghenydd’s credit they did not give up and responded with a converted try of their own after the game had entered its final quarter.

Bates, in turn with his relatively fresh legs, then broke the line and carried well to find White in support to hand on to Tabb to score and convert for a 65-13 lead.

Not to be outdone, the visitors came back as Monmouth began to appear a little blasé, and with good hands on display including a reverse pass through a pair of legs eventually led to a kick through which Senghenydd followed up to bring a final score of 65-20.

A stunning result, albeit against an apparently weakened side, but a potential banana skin of Pontypool Utd. awaits next week again at home when concentration must again be on the importance of another win.