WRU National League Division Two East - Ynysddu 0 Monmouth 9

ON a cold, damp day in Ynysddu, eerily overlooked spasmodically by a wind turbine as the low cloud waxed and waned, the few spectators braving the conditions were treated to a hard but clean encounter unlike Monmouth’s last game against Blackwood, just a few miles up the valley.

Missing a few key players, everyone played wholeheartedly, with robust defending as each side kicked deep by way of attacking and countering.

The Monmouth scrum was as usual a strong one and their ability to drive back their opponents became more apparent as the game progressed, similar to their line-out which took a while to click but when it did it became a very reliable means of restarting play.

Ynysddu kicked off and were immediately rewarded with a scrum for a knock-on by the catcher, but in this first test of relative strengths, it was they who were forced to back-pedal. From a penalty conceded, fly half Daf Davies found a deep touch but the hosts recovered and answered in kind.

The visitors were the ones generating the early pressure and scrum-half Dan White was soon in Ynysddu’s face and went very near. A penalty kick out of hand was too adventurous with the ball going dead, but other opportunities appeared to be missed as the centre of the field continued to be the main area of engagement rather than spreading the ball wide. The rain stopped but the same tactics were employed presumably to wear down their opponents whilst avoiding potentially expensive handling errors.

The desire of both sides to kick deep and tackle up made for limited exciting events, at least until right wing Amosa Nove temporarily lit up the gloom with a typically strong break, but his pass inside was unusually mis-directed for play to falter again.

Until, that is, Ynysddu strayed offside, not for the first time, and Davies took Monmouth into a 0-3 lead from some 38 metres at the start of the second quarter.

The high punts frequently employed achieved little other than an opportunity to pressurise by counter attacking but when the hosts employed a cross-kick as a means of attack, but for a juggling of the ball by their left wing out on the right, they could well have taken the lead. This preceded a period when Monmouth had to defend stoutly in both mauls and rucks to prevent their line being crossed.

Another run by Nove eased the pressure but when he was scythed down, a resulting penalty brought an attacking four man touch but the throw was inaccurate, allowing Dan White to capitalise at the rear of the line allowing full back Rhys Gant to display his penetrative skills. In the to and fro that followed centre Bateman put in a particularly helpful deep clearance.

Failing to roll away brought a penalty that failed on the stroke of half-time for the teams to take a deserved break even though they may have preferred a sauna instead.

Ynysddu restarted firing on all cylinders and Monmouth had to concentrate on defence for a period in their own 22, but then relief came inside 12 minutes of the second half, when Davies added to his tally with a penalty kick from 38m out for off-side and was to score again from further out in response to a high tackle.

Monmouth introduced some forward replacements which added some oomph to the pack and their fresh legs led to some impressive carrying of the ball driving deep into Ynysddu’s defences, most noticeable of which was one by forwards coach/player Ross Coombs made good ground but then unfortunately spilled the ball in the tackle.

The line-out was now operating superbly, both on the part of the thrower, Ed White, and his targets and attempts to exploit broken play were beginning to show but failing to be completed. Monmouth were now comfortable in their defence despite Ynysddu’s attempts to salvage a losing bonus point and all the onlookers were pleased to hear the final whistle so that they could seek some warmth.

This good clean contest, with but a few moments of excitement, at least takes Monmouth to the top of the table and boosts their confidence, if needed, prior to their cup game at home this coming Saturday against Senghenydd when hopefully better playing conditions will permit a display of all their strengths.