Monmouth travelled away to Brynithel last Saturday and overcame all the odds to win 13-22. Despite seeming to be on the wrong end of refereeing decisions throughout, a resurgent and territorial dominant Brynithel and receiving two concurrent yellow cards at one stage, Monmouth changed the course of this thrilling game through sheer grit and determination.

The opening ten minutes were frantic until Gareth Morgan, playing his last game for Monmouth before emigrating to Florida, made a characteristic break in which he was dependably supported by captain and No 8 Adam Seymour for the first try admittedly against the pattern of play. Brace converted the try for a 7-0 lead followed in short time by a further three points, again from the boot of Brace for offside..

Paradoxically, although Brynithel were stunned by this reversal, Monmouth seemed to be lulled into a false sense of security by this early lead which was admittedly against the run of play.

Brynithel led by a very vigorous and voluble No. 8 responded typically with some very robust play, to which the referee seemed oblivious, but after a further ten minutes of resisting a battering, again, to some extent against the run of play, Monmouth broke up the slope and left wing Adam Roberts complemented a courageous game by scoring, but too far out for Brace to add to the 15-0 lead.

Brynithel could see the game slipping away from them and responded superbly with a succession of charges and winning rucks, eventually crashing over from a maul to narrow the gap to eight points.

Monmouth were stretched if brave and were penalised for not rolling away at a tackle and with the score now 15-10 they had to dig in very deep as their defences were literally battered throughout a lengthy injury time. The half-time whistle could not come a minute too soon as fly-half Croudace failed to take a wild pass back from a defensive scrum only to see it fortunately roll dead.

Brynithel set about the second half with vigour and remained territorially dominant for long periods, first missing a penalty and then their fortunes appeared to change as Stockley and then Price were both questionably yellow carded, with the home team scoring the penalty awarded for the latter.

And yet this 15-13 score was to prove the turning point as the remaining 13 men dug deep, several times winning the scrum put in by turning the larger scrum through ninety degrees.

Gareth Morgan brought a brief period of relief with yet another burst out of defence but sadly the final pass went to ground when a try looked likely.

From the ensuing scrum Brynithel clawed back a full 50 yards from a set piece move that had worked time and time again with the right wing finding a mid-field gap through which to find an eventual touch on the opposite side of the field.

But Monmouth's cavalry had returned and, with the power of the Monmouth pack restored and putting a stream of winning rucks together, Croudace eventually crashed over to take the wind out of Brynithel's sails. Brace judged the wind beautifully to stretch the lead to 22-13.

With confidence growing visibly and Brynithel waning, Monmouth began winning scrums against the head and in pursuit of a bonus point, centre Andrew Davies rounded off a fine move on the extreme right, only to be recalled for an off-side penalty a long way back.

The final whistle brought the usual sporting cessation of hostilities leaving Brynithel wondering how they could have so much possession and yet lose, but Monmouth went home having done justice to some recent ball sponsorship, kindly provided by the Monnow UPVC Centre and looking forward to another evening of 'goodbyes' to Gareth.

Club supporters and past players will soon join in their own revelries, first at the televising of Meddiant, a Welsh language quiz, (coach leaves Clubhouse 0930hrs next Sunday) and then a reception on the occasion of the club-house showing of Wales v Canada on 14 November.