Expectations were high of the usual close derby game as the two teams met in this Swalec league game, but once Lane had burst through in the centre inside the first 10 minutes for his first try, it was clear that the opposition would be weaker than has ever been seen in the regular games between these two sides.
Ex-Monmouth player Tom Parry helped the home team by missing numerous kicks at goal, but no matter what Usk tried on the day it was clear that Monmouth had their tails up.
Ricketts tried hard in the kicking stakes but most of his potential chances were taken instead as scrums or from wide out, but he contributed 14 points nevertheless.
Scrum half Gareth Morgan revelled in the space afforded to him, keeping his backs flowing onto the ball and capping a good performance with a solo effort near the final whistle to score under the posts, a try which Ricketts easily converted for a 74-nil win – the highest score several oldies claimed they had ever seen Monmouth achieve.
The forwards did well to keep up with the pace of the game, excelling in the tight and supporting aspects even to the extent of a seasoned prop showing off his rarely seen side-stepping ability and shaded perhaps only in the lines-out where Usk had taller men.
The three-quarters were rampant throughout with left wing Jack Butler helping himself to a hat-trick of his own too – on one occasion running from his own line to find first full back Anthony Layne and then the inevitable Dewi (pictured scoring one of his tries) in support for perhaps the most spectacular score of the day as Usk were wilting badly near the finish.