A SCORING burst of 17 points in 10 minutes in the first half proved sufficient for RTB Ebbw Vale to win this National League Division Six East game against Monmouth in difficult conditions at the Sports Ground last Saturday.
Monmouth, facing driving wind and rain, were forced to defend for most of the first half. RTB won good possession from all phases through a dominant pack. They used the wind effectively to kick for position and their backs handled the greasy ball well to keep the Monmouth defence at full stretch.
Monmouth kept them out until the 23rd minute and in fact had an opportunity to open the scoring themselves, when they ripped the ball out of a maul in their own 25. Full back Tom Parry burst up field over the half way line, but delayed his pass just a fraction to left wing Matt Morgan and when he did give the ball as he was half tackled, Morgan with a clear run to the line, could not take the pass.
RTB pressure told in the 23rd minute when they scored a try from a ruck on the Monmouth line. They added another unconverted try seven minutes later when they moved the ball well through their hands and the outside half looped round on the left wing to score wide out.
The lead became 17-0 just three minutes later, when Monmouth could not hold on to their own throw at a lineout in their 25 and the RTB flanker gathered the loose ball to score a try which was converted.
That remained the score until half time, but Monmouth were unable to take advantage of the elements in the second half as RTB continued to win the major share of possession and decided the best way to make ground was to drive through the forwards.
Yet the visitors could not add to their lead and it was Monmouth who scored in the 70th minute. Centre Matthew Churches received a long pass on the RTB 25 and he burst through a gap, his strong run just getting him to the line as he was tackled. Rob Frost's conversion attempt was just wide.
When Monmouth were penned deep in their own 25, scrum-half Gareth Morgan rescued a tricky situation by darting to the blind side of a maul and sending Matt Morgan away down the left wing. He gave a well-timed pass to Parry, who was denied a thrilling breakaway try when he was tackled just ten yards from the RTB line.
As the RTB effort petered out, Monmouth began to win the possession that enabled them to launch some good handling moves. This eventually paid off when replacement hooker Julian Powell forced his way over for a try which Frost converted, to give the scoreline a more respectable sheen.
Monmouth do not have a game this weekend, as the Six Nations championship resumes with Wales playing Scotland at Murrayfield. Like Wales, Monmouth are in need of a win - in their case, to halt an alarming run of league defeats. Their next match is a friendly at home to Usk on Saturday week.