WRU East One (Saturday)
Monmouth RFC 18 Pontypool United 22
In a season when Monmouth has to date won two and drawn two games whilst suffering the frustration of having won a losing bonus point on no less than seven occasions, Saturday’s match against relatively high-flying Pontypool United was predictably daunting, reports PETE WALTERS.
And it was made worse by the usual end-of -season fixture backlog and the additional burden of occasionally playing two games a week.
The weather smacked of early Summer, unlike the gloom of the previous Wednesday evening and its attendant close 13-15 defeat by Blaenavon.
After a promising early long penalty kick to touch by full back Harry Johnson, and a slick line-out take, he blasted his first goal attempt high and wide before handing over goal kicking to wing Matthew Tabb.
Tabb proved more accurate when taking a penalty kick for off-side for a 3-0 lead after ten minutes, during which spell fly half White had displayed his speed off the mark with several breaks and chips ahead but failing to find support when needed.
After this the visitors found their sea legs and play became more even with Monmouth gaining ground through their three-quarters and wide out, with Pontypool United preferring forward gains up the middle.
Monmouth had rather signalled their long mid-field passes in the first quarter, making it little surprise when a Pontypool centre was up quick enough to intercept and have a clear run over more than half the pitch to score under the posts. making the conversion a formality (7-3).
The hosts by now were getting sucked into contesting rucks and driving mauls by Pontypool which they obviously enjoy, but fell further behind when the visitors won a line-out on their left and spread the ball to their right wing to score in the corner for 12-3.
Centre Dan Dunmore nearly forced his way over after a series of quick rucks, but Pontypool were resolute in defence and quick at clearing their lines deep into the Monmouth half.
Johnson’s punting is equally impressive though, regularly countering such incursions with booming high kicks.
A second penalty by Tabb cut the deficit to six points as Pontypool tried to defend illegally. And from yet another attacking up and under, flanker Ollie Park took the high ball and passed to Johnson who ran in to score near the posts on a curved run for an easy conversion by Tabb to take a 13-12 lead at half-time.
Monmouth started the second half well with a good left side move, but wingman Kester Mobbs-Morgan was stopped in his tracks.
Redemption neared but this time Monmouth were held up over the line.
Several lengthy injury stoppages disrupted the flow and Pontypool recovered the impetus by use of deep kicks on the quickening wind with their use of the slope and sun behind them and nearly scored in the left corner.
Called back for a penalty, Pontypool’s forward set piece strength was obvious when they drove a scrum backwards to take a 19-13 lead, which was then stretched by three points for an offence at a ruck.
Monmouth’s ‘never say die’ approach now became apparent, not least with the fierce tackling of substitute flanker Will Korb and, with five minutes to play, following a high garryowen and a succession of winning rucks backed up by moving the ball wide both right then left, Park scored (22-18).
Tabb could not add the extras though and the visitors knuckled down in the final minutes to ensure that no matter how hard the home team tried, they would have to settle for an eighth losing bonus point this season.
One final fling with a charge into the left corner raised local heartbeats but the clinching pass was knocked on and that was it.
Monmouth were playing Blaenavon away last night (Tuesday, May 2), with the report available on The Beacon website, when they hope to have done better than record a ninth losing bonus point!