A LARGE crowd saw Usk beat Monmouth at the Monmouth Sports Ground and take bragging rights from the annual derby.

For the first time in many years, Usk toppled the home side with a clever tactical game,winning 9-13.

In horrible conditions, with snow threatening to follow the freezing rain and gusting wind, Usk were first to play with the elements and soon had Monmouth pinned in their own half.

Mistakes abounded as players slithered around and numbed hands failed to take passes.

Penalties abounded as players struggled to keep their footing at the breakdown with many normally kickable ones led astray by a wind with ideas of its own.

Usk scored their first following a high relieving kick out of defence which eager forwards failed to retire from. Kicked with the wind, the 28 metre penalty sailed through the posts.

A similar transgression by Usk just two minutes later saw centre Roberts equal the score at 3-3, only for Usk to pull ahead with one of their own a matter of minutes later. A further exchange of penalty misses as play went to and fro were the only significant events as players tried their best to make the most of the conditions.

Individuals from each pack made stirring runs but attempts at orchestrated moves invariably foundered as the passes were floated in uneven trajectories or people's numb hands let them down despite their best endeavours.

Territory was the thing though and Usk largely kept the pressure on with long kicks down field. By half-time the see-sawing of penalties had given Usk a 6-9 lead.

With the change of direction, the tactics for Monmouth now seemed clear in that they too should use the wind to build territorial pressure of their own. One such kick ahead almost immediately worked as it gained 70 metres and had the Usk full back under pressure, but fortunately for him the ball just crossed the goal-line and he was able to safely dab it down as the cavalry arrived.

Despite this early promise, it was not to be. Even when defending in their own 22 individuals seemed to be obsessed with trying to run the ball back at the opposition rather than kick deep into the wide open spaces. In fairness occasional individual bursts made metres before being downed by the opposition, the best examples of which were by back rowers, Phillips and Griffiths and also a particularly good run by second row Sparey, which sadly resulted in him having to leave the field injured.

Roberts evened the scores near the end of the third quarter but this was more than cancelled out when the ball was fed to a front row forward on his own 22 who took the ball into contact and, when the ball was spilled, Usk ran back at pace through a missed tackle for their full back to come up in support and score. It was to prove the only try of the game and a converted one at that.

Monmouth did not give up and eventually found themselves virtually camped on the Usk line for repeated scrums that were effectively spoiled by the visitors.

Both Lane and Green nearly scored as Usk continued to disrupt the scrum, coming close to conceding a penalty try at one point.

Frustration grew sufficiently for a Monmouth back to unwisely try to advise the referee how he might perform his task better, resulting in a reduction to 14 men and releasing the pressure on Usk.

All continued to give their all but Usk were not going to concede their winning position. Bragging rights therefore are now with Usk for the first 12 month period in a while.