WRU East One

Monmouth RFC 31 Dowlais 35

MONMOUTH'S last game saw fifth play sixth as Dowlais visited the Sports Ground, reports PETE WALTERS.

The away fixture had been a 20-13 loss four weeks previously, so the hosts' aim was to restore local pride.

But first, a minute’s silence was held out of respect for John Croudace, a club stalwart who recently passed away.

Dowlais pressurised from kick-off and Monmouth were afforded some welcome relief with a penalty for holding on after a tackle.

Play was fast and furious, epitomised by a strong break by prop Mattie Cotton, stopped only by a despairing ankle tap.

Two visiting forwards were down injured in no time, giving hope that Monmouth might gain by running their opponents around.

But while they tried to go wide, progress was often rather lateral due to Dowlais' solid drift defence, while the visitors engaged in a more direct carrying game.

Fly-half Lewis Bates employed his powerful boot to set the visitors back, but Dowlais were also very elusive in return and the occasional missed tackle proved expensive.

Impressive as Bates was to prove, including his defence, having retrieved the ball from behind his own line, his long kick for touch failed and Dowlais used their pace on the right to outflank the defence and lead 7-0 after only eight minutes.

But a good charge by second-row Shaun Hobbs who bounced a potential tackler then led to a 25m untouched run to level the scores with Bates’ conversion.

A long kick then gained ground and Monmouth probed right and left only to be called back for an offside penalty which Bates slotted for a 10-7 lead.

Next a long high kick towards the left corner brought wing Dan Dunmore into play, but the high bounce saw a knock on rather than an amazing try.

Bates then chipped the defence and hacked on only for it to go dead when he seemed to have just scored.

A further high kick saw captain Logan Woskett almost tackle the man in possession, but the rejoinder was quick as Dowlais ran in again on the right to take a 14-10 lead.

The remaining few minutes before half-time saw Monmouth camped near the goal-line and Dowlais earning a yellow card for killing the ball.

But a fumble at the back of a winning scrum conceded possession and then a driving maul over the line resulted in no score.

Within three minutes of the restart, Bates made the most of a defensive mismatch, wrong-footing a prop for another try again converted and a 17-14 lead.

But Dowlais were back at once to regain it at 21-17. And then from a scrum Monmouth were driven back and the ensuing maul following a penalty kick to touch saw a speedy set piece release and a missed tackle, resulting in a fourth try (28-17).

Bates again hit back though, adding seven more points following two rucks near the line (28-24).

But a knock-on at the base of a Monmouth attacking scrum lost some advantage, although Dowlais then incurred a yellow card for slapping down a pass.

A chance of a try on the left saw the ball kicked dead, while strong runs were tackled into touch.

But then, disaster, as a Dowlais cross kick found the Monmouth defence napping (33-24).

Their goal-kicker was sitting out his ten minutes, but Dowlais still kicked the extras from near the touch-line (35-24).

Monmouth came back again, but a final try and conversionfrom Bates (35-31) and the final whistle again saw them settling for a second losing bonus point for coming within seven points.

Bates' personal tally of 26 points included a hat-trick of tries

Despite the narrow loss, Monmouth finished fifth after a great season of eight wins, two draws and eight losses, with several victories against the league's top sides.

Elsewhere, Usk finished their WRU East 2 campaign in sixth after a batlling 35-29 home loss to division leaders Blaina, while Chepstow host Abertysswg in E3 this Saturday (April 19).