WRU East One

Monmouth RFC 31 Dowlais 26

HAVING lost narrowly the previous week at Dowlais, hopes were high of Monmouth obtaining redress at the Sportsground on Saturday, reports PETE WALTERS.

They raced into a lead, picking up 25 points by half-time from three unanswered tries, two converted, plus two penalties.

Within three minutes following an opening penalty score for ‘not rolling away’, a superb interpassing move involving at least two reverse passes and good linking by scrum-half Oliver Scriven saw him on hand to score under the posts, with full-back Lewis Bates converting.

From the Dragons' kickoff a long 50-22 touch then saw the ball moving to right wing Harvey Thomas who made 30m before being tackled.

And Monmouth after pressing hard found their way to other wing Harry Whelan on the left for another try, this time unconverted.

The excitement continued with fly-half Dan White intercepting a loose ball to run in untouched from 45m for 22–0 inside 25 minutes.

The Dowlais predicament then worsened when a forward was sent from the field for hitting someone with his elbow.

The penalty made it 25–0 lead still with 10 minutes of the half to play.

Kester Mobbs-Morgan was then lucky with a high tackle that was only ruled a penalty, but concerns were raised when despite wing-forward Ollie Park making a good break, his coach was heard shouting at the backs to move the ball wider rather than trying to make ground down the well-defended middle.

All was well until half-time, when presumably the Dragons' coach fired up his players, with the result that within five minutes of the restart they found their way into the top right corner with a driving maul from a line-out.

Whelan then made a 35m break through tackles, carrying players with him.

But Dowlais won a scrum to counter, and bombarded the tryline to score a converted try from a penalty.

Monmouth were spared when attacking three-quarters crossed with the resultant penalty coming as welcome relief.

But the small crowd of visiting supporters were becoming enthused enough for the referee to perhaps begin listening. And a penalty to touch saw the left wing run in for another converted try.

Monmouth responded thwarted only by a high tackle in the opposition half. Strangely the placing of the ball seemed angled to miss and so it did, leaving it at 28–21.

Another Monmouth penalty secured touch in the corner, and the ball was moved midfield to gain another penalty, stretching the lead to 31-21

With eight minutes left, White kicked straight out resulting in a touch back, whence Dowlais narrowed the gap from a driving maul (31-26) for a losing bonus point, but that proved the final score.

Mobbs-Morgan was awarded D&C Ground Tec Player of the Match for his covering, speedy carrying and tackling.

All that remains now is one home game on April 13 against Senghenydd.

Then there will be a wait to learn final table positions until everyone else has played their backlog of weather-hit games; something Monmouth rarely suffer due to the Sportsground's good drainage and groundsmanship (Thank you Gordon!).