Gwent Premier League

Premier Division

Wednesday 3rd April 2024

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.27

Monmouth Town 4 Lucas Cwmbran 0, attendance 110

8’ 1-0

48’ 2-0

68’ 3-0

76’ 4-0

@ Monmouth Sports Ground

Blestium Street

Monmouth

NP25 3AF

No Admission

£1 Programme, 8 pages.

I’d seen a game at Monmouth Sports Ground back in April 2008, when Monmouth Town beat Cwmamman United 2-1 in a Welsh League Division 3 match. The pitch they played on that day is still there, but is now permanently used by the rugby club, whilst the football have moved to the other side of the cricket square, where they have railed off the pitch and erected a small seated stand, with the clubhouse/changing rooms now directly behind one goal.

Above : The cover on the old pitch.

Tonight’s match was 6th versus 13th in the league table. Monmouth have no chance of winning the league, but Lucas Cwmbran are only four places off the bottom, having a seven point gap over bottom club Coed Eva Athletic, six points over second bottom Wattsville and are three points above third bottom Newport Civil Service. They have games in hand over all three, so should be safe.

The game was shown as an 18.30 kick off on the Cymru App, but the club had tweeted that the game would kick off at the earlier and far more sensible time of 18.15. However, neither the Referee or the visitors had any intention of going for the earlier start, despite all being ready at least ten minutes before we finally got underway at 18.27. No hint of playing reduced halves either and although we got the full game in, it was very dark for the last ten minutes or so as the Referee blew the final whistle at 20.04.

With no real pressure on either side, it turned out to be a really good, end to end game, which has often been the case when I’ve watched games in this league over the years. Monmouth opened the scoring after just eight minutes, shooting in at the near post, which surprisingly was the only goal of the first half. Three minutes into the second half they made it 2-0, finishing into the bottom corner after a one two on the edge of the box and goal number three arrived twenty minutes later. Lucas Cwmbran had a chance to get back into it, but had a penalty saved with seventeen minutes left and shortly afterwards Monmouth added goal number four, when a cross from the right was spilled by the ‘keeper and followed in from close range.