THINGS looked good for Monmouth 1st XI with 42 runs needed and seven wickets still in hand away to Mountain Ash.

But the high-flying South East Wales Seven visitors could only add 23 more before being dismissed 19 short of the target.

The mid-table hosts had also started their innings strongly in the rain-hit 30 over match, reaching 83 without loss when Peter Keay made the breakthough, trapping their opener lbw for 19.

The third man soon followed for four (88-2), stumped by Will Hickmott off a David Teague ball.

And it was 112-3 when Keay caught and bowled the hosts' skipper for nine.

Jake Teague then clutched a catch off his father David's bowling to see off opener Owen Roberts for a 67 that included six fours and two sixes (114-4).

But although that put the brakes on the hosts, Ash managed to add another 39 runs to finish on 153-9.

Ben Lander took three lower order wickets for 19 off three overs, while David Teague took 3-26-6, Keay 2-26-6 and William Wilton 1-31-3.

Monmouth made a steady start keeping the target in their sights, David Teague and Paul Brooks putting on 44 for the first wicket before the latter holed out for 24.

Lander then helped put on another 45 for the second wicket before also going to a catch for 25 (89-2), and Teague followed next over the same way for a top score 33 (92-3).

William Wilton and Jake Teague edged Monmouth towards the target, the former adding 11 before departing lbw (111-4), with some eight overs left.

Josh Hurd went next over for two (115-5), and the dismissal of Jake Teague to another catch for 17 (122-6) left them needing 32 runs off four overs.

Only six runs off the next two overs made the target tougher.

And in the 29th over the wheels fell off, as the visitors lost three wickets in four balls (130-9) before losing their last wicket (134 all out) on the last ball.

Despite the loss, Monmouth stay third with one game left at home to St Fagans 3rds this Saturday (August 31).

It was a similar story for the 2nds at home to Friends Union 2nds in SEW 12E, as they fell 24 runs short chasing a target of 160-9 off 30 overs.

Aled Jones took 3-16-6, Sam Brennan 2-12-6, Neil Saunders 2-19-2, Keiran Shaw 1-33-6 and Kit Skailes 1-31-3.

Twenty from opener Andrew Dobbie and a 64-run fourth wicket partnership between Matthew Williams and Simon Kidd took the hosts to 111 before the former holed out for 36.

Kidd also scored 36 before going next (122-5), but there were only 3.4 overs left, and with another wicket two balls later, the hosts finished high and dry on 136-7.

They face Ponthir 3rds away in their final game this weekend to see which of the two finish fourth, while the 3rds host Blaina 2nds and the Women travel to Sudbrook on Sunday (September 1).

Elsewhere, Penallt & Redbrook won by eight wickets away to Redmarley 2nds to go third in Cheltenham/Gloucester/Forest 1 West at the weekend, skittling out the hosts for 84 before racing to 85-2 in 19 overs.

Tim Swanson took four wickets and Geoff Eaves and Ross Williams two apiece before Kamaal Mitha with 28, Liam Hurcombe 20 not out and Cameron Lee 19 not out saw them home.

They host Newent Lions in their last game on Saturday.