CALDICOT 47 MONMOUTH 15

Caldicot embarked on their first home league fixture of the season with the twin ambition of getting their first win, after the controversial bonus point defeat at the hands of local rivals Chepstow the week before and of experiencing the quality of officiating which had been in such short supply during that excruciating fixture.

Playing with the wind in the first half Caldicot were simply too hot to handle and built a 30 point lead in as many minutes eventually leading 37-3 at half time before injury disruptions in the second half slowed their progress slightly, to see them run out comfortable 47-20, bonus point winners, taking them to 5th in the league after Round 2.

A dominant early scrum from Caldicot with Josh Perks, Martyn Beddows and Mark Watkins immediately laying down a marker to their opponents, saw a neat cross field kick by fly half Guy Winter, poorly dealt with by Monmouth, under pressure from Caldicot Left Wing Neil Evans. Outside Centre Sion Lewis pounced on the loose ball and popped it up to flying full back Simon Beddows, impressive all afternoon on his 1st XV starting debut. His straight running and pace saw him clear of the Monmouth defence, Inside Centre Lloyd Mellens narrowly missing the conversion, though it was well struck in the windy conditions, (5-0).

After a missed penalty by Caldicot another deft cross field kick from Winter took a wicked bounce with Evans quickest to react and race down the left hand touchline for a 10-0 lead. A minute later it was 15-0 after a poor Monmouth kick ricocheted of Caldicot legs, Mellens reacting to pop the ball to his centre partner Lewis. He looked to be home and hosed only to be felled just shy of the beckoning tryline but Mellens backed up to dive over in what was now a very profitable left hand corner.

Caldicot’s superior scrummage soon yielded a penalty which Mellens duly converted before the home side started to move through the gears. Another poorly fielded kick, again due to pressure from impressive winger Evans, chasing his own raking down field kick, saw Hooker Beddows flying up the field only to be nudged into touch just shy of the tryline. However, a great lineout steal by second row Dom Owen, who ruled the roost at the lineout all afternoon, saw the ball spun right and after the ensuing ruck, livewire scrum half James Hall switched left to feed Fullback Beddows whose audacious dummy saw him through for his second try, 23-0.

The 30 points came up after some crisp handling by forwards and backs alike saw the ball swept right. Second Rows Elliot Ferriman and Owen fed Blindside Liam Neil who set right wing Jack Dunbar away. He linked again with the supporting Ferriman only for Monmouth to infringe and Caldicot to nudge it into the corner from where Number 8 Rhys Evans scored after a text book lineout drive, (30-0).

After Monmouth had got themselves on the board with a penalty of their own, Caldicot opened the bottle labelled ‘total rugby’ with some fantastic 15 man fare, spreading the ball first one way then the other. In a move that had Head Coach Gareth Evans purring, the forwards then punched up the middle, great carries by Blindside Neil and Number Eight Evans seeing the home side go close before Hall simply picked up and dived over without a defender left to stop him, making it 37-3 at half time after Mellens converted.

Caldicot dominated the opening exchanges of the second half, driving Monmouth off their own scrum ball twice to set up field position but they were too excitable and a combination of sloppy final passes and some inaccuracy come lineout time delayed a score until Lewis sauntered through the defence, in a planned move that seemed to take place in slow motion, such was the lateness of his run, making it 42-3.

Caldicot began to use their bench, initially having to cover injuries to Openside and Captain Joe Cullimore as well as Mellens and became a little disjointed for a time allowing Monmouth to hit back with a try of their own after some confusion at a ruck, to make it 42-10 and then 42-13 following a penalty for hands in the ruck. The home side reacted by launching wave after wave of attack with a number of moves seeing players held up just short due to creditable Monmouth defence, firstly winger Evans after another break by Lewis and then side stepping tighthead Watkins.

Eventually man of the match Rhys Evans picked himself up off the floor having taken a head knock in gaining some initial hard yards and then picked up from the base of the ensuing scrum, to cause havoc in the Monmouth ranks. After another dynamic carry, his neat, back of the hand, offload out of a three man tackle, put Hall in at the right hand corner, the stark contrast between sublime skill and power not lost on a jubilant crowd.

Whilst Monmouth did score a consolation try to make the final score 47-20.

Caldicot took pleasure from a deserved bonus point win achieved through fifteen man running rugby. Head Coach Evans praised the skill and fitness of his players but also the standard of refereeing which had allowed the game to flow, offering a good level of entertainment to the fans of both sides but he quickly warned of sterner tests to come, starting with Llanhilleth away next weekend.

Caldicot Athletic backed up their opening day win versus Chepstow, sealing a fantastic double for the senior set up, with a hard fought 27-29 win away from home versus Monmouth 2nds, a last second, touchline conversion by Fly Half and Captain Rhys Willis, taking the spoils. A brace from Man of the Match, Matthew Hill in the Centre plus a touchdown from fellow Centre Matthew Harris set up a nail biting climax as Wing Dave Cameron dived over with the referee about to blow, for Willis to perform his dramatic finale.