SWALEC Bowl - Monmouth RFC 62 Cwmcarn United 7

MONMOUTH RFC advanced to the fourth round of the SWALEC Bowl at the expense of Cwmcarn United last Saturday.

Restored to near full strength, Monmouth were soon on the score-board when their full back Goddard ran a relieving kick back, eluding many tacklers before linking with centre Ellard who scored in the right corner, but too far out on this occasion to convert.

The home forwards were already showing they were up for it with number eight Hawkins one of the more vigorous. Having made much ground he fed on to prop Hunter who barrelled his way through. When the ball was recycled it was moved right to centre Amosa Nove who with Emanuelli’s conversion took the score to 12-0 after only six minutes.

The left flank was the next area explored and some fast accurate passing made space for wing Mobbs Morgan to run in from some 30 metres. This brought in turn a phase of the Monmouth forwards taking it upon themselves to show what they could do. This proved to not be the best tactic given that the visitors’ strength was also in the pack, but try hard they did and only a wayward forward pass frustrated their endeavours just before an injury to Cwmcarn’s right wing saw him carefully stretchered off to await an ambulance.

The gap of around 18 minutes did little for the other players’ concentration and subsequent cohesion but it was Cwmcarn who were probably worst affected and the Monmouth backs edged further ahead with a try by full back Goddard, fed to him most unselfishly by Nove. A change of kicker made no difference with the attempted conversion.

Second row Seran was linking well and with a superb pass put Nove away again for a seven point try but at the cost of a tweaked hamstring as the scorer neared the line.

The home forwards put some inspirational inter-passing together from time to time but a hint of greediness was limiting things when there were wide open spaces out wide.

Tabb had entered as a substitute now and set about showing his electric pace to his fellows. In double quick time he had created tries completed by Mobbs Morgan and Emanuelli with the latter converting both.

At the re-start the 41-0 lead looked most promising and immediately Williams recovered a deep kick and some speedy play allowed Emanuelli to complete the move under the posts for the easiest of kicks.

The visitors now rallied strongly winning several penalties near the Monmouth line and when Brosnan was adjudged to have deliberately knocked on a penalty try and yellow card resulted.

Instead of raising their game sensibly, Monmouth began attacking quite frenetically resulting in much loose play and dangerously wild passing.

Things eventually settled down and moves became imaginative and penetrative again but when Cwmcarn responded the referee was quick to spot a failure to roll away with a resultant penalty.

Eager to redeem himself from his recent ’time off’ from playing, Seran was playing vigorously and well, but when he reached through and handled a ball in a ruck on half way he was rather heavily punished by a yellow card at the time Monmouth were still a man down.

In the remaining 11 minutes of the game Monmouth backs were still firing on all cylinders with first Ellard and then scrum half White creating gaps and running the ball in from some distances and spectacularly diving over the line.

At this 62-7 stage the referee had seen enough and decided much of the lengthy injury time did not need to be played and both teams made the way for their hot showers.

Monmouth’s next fixture is not likely to be until 12th November. News of any fixtures will be in next week’s edition of the Beacon.