Old Boys school Mon in cup, but Stow go through

WRU Division One Cup

Monmouth 13 Newport HSOB 20

A BEAUTIFUL sunny autumnal afternoon ideal for rugby saw Monmouth firing on all cylinders from the off and putting visitors Newport High School Old Boys on the back foot at the start.

A penalty opportunity for not releasing in the tackle was sadly missed after only three minutes, but then Newport’s strength in scrummaging began to show through with Monmouth being driven back at the set piece.

Monmouth, however, were successfully spreading the ball wide and full back Matt Tabb was up in support and off-loaded to his wing only to see it knocked on as a try seemed inevitable.

Territory was evenly contested and at the end of the first quarter Tabb successfully converted a penalty for offside to open the scoring.

The Old Boys responded almost immediately however with an unconverted try to take the lead 5-3.

A fracas amongst players then led to the referee stamping his authority on matters by awarding a yellow card to both captains

Newport next pressed forward leading to a penalty for offside, which was taken as a scrum and led to pressuring the corner.

It almost seemed like a foot in touch, but the attacking wing made good his try followed by an excellent kick from touch for 12-3 with just five minutes or so until the break.

The Monmouth back row with flanker Ollie Park in particular very evident were keeping the hosts in the game though, and determined carrying was gaining ground.

Frustrations bubbled up once again and Newport lost another player to a yellow card just as the previous one concluded, but the visitors’ response was a greater determination in defence through to half-time.

Monmouth introduced several substitutes from the restart and with the sun behind them employed many high kicks that had Newport struggling to catch them cleanly.

Another card for Monmouth for entering a ruck on the side didn't help the hosts, but an excellent break by the Monmouth fly-half drew the final defender in, freeing right wing Tom Andrews to run around under the posts, which Tabb converted to cut the lead to 12-10.

Andrews again showed his pace but when stopped was harshly penalised for not releasing in the tackle, when perhaps the penalty could have gone the other way.

Legs were tiring now, and better following up of individual efforts may have brought greater success for both sides.

The Newport pack was still edging the set piece though, leaving Monmouth defending more.

But a hosts’ break downfield and a recycled ruck saw the ball spun along the line to the right only for it to be knocked on.

Fortunately a penalty had already been awarded for offside and Monmouth crept into a 13-12 lead with around six minutes left.

But almost immediately a penalty was conceded and the Old Boys crept ahead again 15-13.

Monmouth's newer players had generally bedded in well but a widespread tiredness meant that a long clearance gained nothing.

And Newport then broke up the right hand line where the touch judge raised his flag but lowered it when he saw his man was about to score, with the try awarded.

Whereas Monmouth might have hoped one last effort would gain them a win, instead it became a 20-13 loss with an excellent conversion from touch and time up.

Elsewhere, Chepstow made it into the second round of the WRU 3 Cup with a last-minute try at Garndiffaith, securing a 31-25 win.

Brynmawr visit the Sportsground to play Monmouth on Saturday (October 10) in East One, while Chepstow travel to New Panteg in East 3.

Usk also host Caldicot in an East 2 Monmouthshire derby.