MONMOUTH continued its renewal process, although not with the greatest of ease, by beating Pontllanffraith 25-7 at the Sports Ground last Saturday.

Perhaps a little complacent given some serious reversals of late for the visitors, Monmouth started slowly and credit has to be given to Pontllanffraith for all but dominating the first 20 minutes, helped by the home team giving away some silly penalties and even yardage for dissent in the face of a referee who was not going to tolerate any.

The visiting team initially looked far more fired up for the contest and it took a brave tackle by full-back Rhys Ricketts to thwart their first major inroad.

This, plus a missed penalty by the visitors, rallied Monmouth who then began to bombard their opponents' line.

Penalty after penalty was scrummaged to drain the others' energy but despite ruck upon ruck as a result, insufficient control led to survival for Pontllanffraith at the cost of only three penalty points by wing Dave Brace 25 minutes in.

Monmouth's strength seemed to be through their pack and a succession of scrums and rucks should have led to points but the backs contrived on several occasions to kick away good possession or to fumble hasty passes, and unusually Pontllanfffraith took a crucial strike against the head to relieve the pressure on them.

Against the run of play with half-time beckoning it was Pontllanffraith who broke out in sufficient numbers to use their overlap to score the games first try which they also converted.

Monmouth bounced back territorially but Brace was unable to narrow the lead by missing a further kick at goal on the stroke of half-time.

A far more robust approach was needed if Monmouth were to overcome the spoiling tactics, which Pontllanffraith had continually used albeit to the satisfaction of the otherwise excellent referee.

The necessary energy did now materialise but the referee still seemed content to allow penalty after penalty for professional fouling until at last Monmouth's pack pushed their opponents over the line for a No. 8 Mike Griffiths touch-down although Brace missed the relatively easy conversion.

Eventually the pressure told and a long-awaited yellow card was produced and even though the penalty was again missed and despite a succession of pick and drive moves supplemented by a good three-quarter break it was another 14 minutes before Monmouth scored again through another penalty kick by Brace for offside by the centres.

Pontllanffraith continued to threaten despite the loss of their influential captain due to injury but rapidly developing prop Craig Nicholls showed the way ahead with two substantial breaks of 20 and then 30 yards with the latter of these culminating in substitute 2nd row John Powell supporting well and then linking to Mike Griffiths, who was more like his usual self this week, to crash over for his second try of the game. Brace redeemed himself by taking the lead to 18-7 with ten minutes to play.

Pontllanffraith were now at sixes and sevens and if Monmouth had the poise to clinically finish moves they could have been embarrassed but they held out until the last play of the game when Monmouth threw everything at the visitors with Brace adding a further 7 points at the very end by finishing off an expansive move to the left and then kicking the conversion.

A big week awaits the Club. First the International tickets will be available to lucky applicants from Wednesday through to Friday, and then the biggest event arrives in the shape of Llandaff next Saturday keen to retain their league top spot at the expense of a continuing roll for Monmouth.

The local team has the ability but can the players produce the drive and cohesion they will need right from the off?