WRUE East One
Abertillery Blaenau Gwent 15 Monmouth 24
MONMOUTH travelled to Abertillery to take a tilt at the league leaders for the second week running on Saturday, having toppled previous table-toppers Bedlinog seven days earlier, reports PETE WALTERS.
Following a traditional British Legion tribute to the Fallen, the hosts began with an intensity down the slope, with scrums driven back and mauls driven with vigour.
A penalty kick to touch in the lower left corner led to a scrum and almost a pushover try, followed by a succession of re-set scrums before the defence broke for the first of five tries in the game, which with a good conversion opened a 7-0 lead.
Monmouth responded well moving the ball to the wings and causing some panic, with mishandling and poor touch kicking in the home defence.
Abertillery carried strongly though, with some elusive backs, but the visiting defence was largely resolute with centre Dan Dunmore cutting down opponents in full flight.
Next from a deep but incomplete penalty kick downfield, Monmouth’s scrum-half Oliver Scriven broke upfield supported on his left by full-back Jeffery Erasmus, who drew the defence to put wing Matt Tabb over, which Erasmus comfortably converted to level.
Orthodox passing and fast hands had proved the trick.
The Monmouth forwards were all working hard in the face, putting heads where it hurts, such as a spectacular turnover by No 8 Williams to name but one of the active back row.
The referee then missed Abertillery’s tighthead pulling down his opponent in a scrum, but when re-set he spied the opposite.
The penalty to touch brought a maul and another home penalty for entering the side.
Abertillery’s opting for a scrum rather than a relatively easy kick showed they were confident up front, but Monmouth’s resolute defence eventually forced a tactical change and the first sign of respect by kicking for a three-pointer when the opportunity next arose.
Monmouth then unusually lost a line-out but were saved by an Abertillery fumble, compounded with wild passing in defence.
And holding on after a tackle brought a successful kick by Erasmus to again level at 10-10 a few minutes before the break.
The league leaders hit back and it required another stunning tackle, with a penalty for holding on bringing a touch and soon the half-time whistle.
Monmouth had the slope after the restart and right-wing Harry Whelan was twice prominent in attack.
On the second occasion, flanker Kester Mobbs-Morgan in support was clattered into touch by a try-saving tackle.
But Abertillery's weak clearance kick saw Dunmore respond with a good break, and hooker Mattie Cotton crashed over to score with Erasmus converting off the post to edge the visitors 17-10 ahead.
Several good Abertillery carries were then rebuffed, but the passionate crowd were giving their all in support.
But near the end of the third quarter Scriven was away and Whelan was up with him to score a further try which Erasmus again converted for 24-10.
Abertillery then put the Monmouth line under pressure with maul upon maul, resulting in further penalties to touch and repeat attacks.
Crowd tensions were growing and the referee had to despatch someone from the touch-line, before Abertillery drove yet another maul over from 5m out.
But they missed a relatively easy kick, with two more scores needed at 24-15.
A home crash ball was then knocked-on on the line, before twice a player was held up over the line, once resulting in a poor drop out.
Five times play was stopped in its tracks near the Monmouth line, and a high tackle then resulted in a yellow card and later another.
Such was the intensity, that injury time prolonged play for an amazing ten minutes or so, during which Monmouth tried hard to attack from defence when perhaps they should have kept things tight.
But a sensible and superb clearance for a long touch by fly-half Lewis Bates eased the endless pressure before the final whistle signalled a superb win.
This Saturday (November 16) should be equally combative, when Senghenydd visit the Sportsground.