WRU National League Division Two East - Blackwood 13 Monmouth 27

IN their toughest Division Two East game so far, if only for its physicality, Monmouth recovered from a scoreless 13-0 at the break to pull off a four try bonus point win over Blackwood.

Following a surprise switched kick at the start and the first of many penalties to come, Monmouth left wing Kester Mobbs-Morgan made inroads into foreign territory to set down a marker as to what might be possible.

Strong, and often questionably, late tackling, however, soon proved to be the host’s greatest strength as they began to try and bully their way ahead. Monmouth stuck at it and had Blackwood having to reconsider when pushed back in the scrums.

But at this stage Blackwood were generating the greater pressure and forcing penalties for not releasing in the tackle or failing to roll away with the home team scoring their first three points from near the posts just 13 minutes in.

Blackwood were very capable when counter-attacking and their right wing Mapps rounded his team-mates at the back to make an explosive 70 metres down their left. Some noticeably courageous tackling back was preventing scores and when scrum half Dan White broke out from the visitors’ 22 and fed right wing Amosa Nove visiting hopes rose but the home defence tore into him to curb the threat.

A further Monmouth attack resulted in a tip tackle and an initial disagreement led to the first of several significant fracas during the game.

Three yellow cards, two home and one away, were rather indiscriminately awarded but Monmouth prop Jamie Ridgeway was the biggest loser as he left the field nursing a jaw injury he received from an unseen punch from behind. Blackwood were to extend the score to 6-0 from the resulting penalty as the end of the first quarter was reached.

Still under pressure, Monmouth chose to run out of defence but Blackwood were quick up in defence and capitalised upon a fumbled pass to intercept and run in untouched from 20 metres to broaden the gap to 13 points.

Monmouth responded by pushing up the field and replacement prop Tom Green made good ground towards the line but the ball was stripped from him when a score looked probable and the clearing kick to touch brought the half-time whistle.

The second half kick off brought a defensive fumble and a high tackle on a chasing player. This early penalty was initially defended well but a further penalty for going over the top at the ruck brought a touch in the right hand corner.

The drive from the line-out saw hooker White emerge triumphant from the pile of bodies over the line but the kick hit the post.

Confidence now rebuilt, prop Green put in another rampaging run which found fellow front rower and captain Zen Szwagrzak in support whose pass out of the back door put Mobbs-Morgan in at the corner. Fly half Gareth Davies’ kick from the touch-line was a beauty bringing the scores to 13-12.

Green again used his strength to make ground but this time he held on too long after the tackle. Blackwood hurriedly ran the ball, first right, then left, until White popped up to intercept and score under the posts for a converted try and now a 13-19 lead with a mere 15 minutes of the half gone.

Blackwood responded with vigour but when White tried to take a quick penalty, knocking the ball out of his hands brought another penalty and a further three points for Davies and Monmouth.

Frustration was now getting to the home team. When Nove fed White deep in their half from a quick line-out, his clearing kick was achieved only to receive a late tackle which brought merely a penalty as punishment but a further prolonged fracas broke out as wing Mobbs-Morgan was being pinned to the ground, earning him a yellow card in return along with another for Blackwood.

Nove and full back Rhys Gant next combined to bamboozle the immediate defence and Davies put in an excellent cross kick to flanker Alex Thau on the right for an unconverted fourth try and a bonus point to complete an excellent win against many odds.

Next week sees Monmouth on the road again for a potentially bigger challenge at Ynysddu.

Photos courtesy of Gareth Roberts