Monmouth 26 - Abertillery BG 24

With both Clubs fielding large squads on Chippenham with even larger bands of supporters for this further pre season ‘warm up’, Monmouth started the more lively with a fine spell of inter-passing down-field seeing 2nd row Hobbs running in from 20 metres out. On a bright but gusting day full back Johnson confidently added the conversion.

By the end of the first quarter Abertillery aided by fairly frequent penalties against both teams for high tackles had found their rhythm helped by the territory gain achieved from them.

On one such advance into the home 22, from a line out, they moved the ball wide and levelled the score at 7-7 aided by two weak attempts at tackling.

From the restart there was a long delay for injury to a visiting player but thankfully he was able to walk from the field. Penalties were exchanged and missed due to wind problems but Johnson’s high spiralling bombs regularly gained much ground and visitor errors, keeping the pressure on them until the superior pace of Abertillery’s left wing saw him round and outpace the home defence to move ahead 7-12 after 26 minutes of play.

The nippy opposing wing Thomas responded, however, with a break down his side but he bravely concentrated on keeping play alive with an inside pass whilst he was being clattered into touch.

Penalties continued to be awarded for hi tackling but strangely as most seemed to be of a technical rather than of a malicious nature, one must assume that was why no yellow cards were issued for repeat offences.

2nd Row Woskett was his usual energetic self with a good carry to near the line only to result in a turnover but an actual yellow card did soon arrive for captain and hooker White for entering a ruck on the side. This may have provided him with a personal breather before half-time but not long after a repeated maul near the left hand corner brought a further try for the visitors and a 7-17 lead at the break.

Upon the restart Abertillery were the first to exert pressure but Monmouth through some deep touch finders and one particularly good line-out steal began to recover and helped by some thudding tackles from Korbe which eventually injured his shoulder but not before recycling a ball after one such hit which put away scrum-half Scrivens to score far out followed by another striking move when fly half White in support scored. Both were well converted by Johnson to then take a 21-17 lead.

With 25 minutes left to play, from a scrum near the line Abertillery benefitted from some slack tackling to regain a three point lead as their kicker used his low drilling style to counter the still gusting wind.

A bout of temper was soon quashed by the referee with the award of a ten metre penalty for backchat to her but Monmouth continued to press and a move first one way across the field and then the other brought the winning try by wing Whelan which Johnson failed to kick but fortunately too late for the visitors to respond in what was a very even contest.

Sedge’s memorial match is now much anticipated at home to Berry Hill on 26 August before a challenging visit to Senghenydd in the opening league match on 2 September.