Two games a week have become the norm for this time of the season given the adverse mid-winter weather and may explain why Monmouth played fairly poorly in the early stages of the game away at Usk last Wednesday (13th April).Fortunately they rose above the three-point lead that Usk held for a large part of the game and eventually won three-25, admittedly with tries but little panache.Last Saturday's (16th April) game at Llanhilleth was another must-win game if hopes of promotion were to remain alive, which may explain the error-ridden performance that transpired, not helped by the regular substantial stoppages for apparent injuries to the home team which did little for the composure of the visitors and their usual quick recycling style of play.The Llanhilleth pitch is a well-grassed wide one which one hoped would encourage widespread attacking moves, but despite a sparkling full match debut by scrum-half 'Ludo' Thomas and vigorous foraging by man-of-the-match flanker Ed McCord, the first combined through the hands three-quarter move remained elusive until just before the normal half-time was due.
For full report see Beacon 20/04/11.